The rich experience of the Church concerning the ministry and life of
priests condensed in various documents of the Magisterium,[1] has
received in our days a new impulse thanks to the teachings contained in
the post-synodal Apostolic Exhortation "Pastores dabo vobis."

The publication of this document, in which the Supreme Pontiff has
wanted to unite his voice as the Bishop of Rome and Successor of Peter
to that of the synodal Fathers,[2] represents for priests and for the
entire Church, the beginning of a faithful and fruitful way of deepening
and applying its contents.

"Today, in particular, the pressing pastoral task of the new
evangelization calls for the involvement of the entire People of God and
requires new fervour, new methods and a new expression for the
proclaiming and witnessing of the Gospel. This task demands priests who
are deeply and fully immersed in the mystery of Christ and capable of
embodying a new style of pastoral life".[3]

Those primarily responsible for this new evangelization of the third
Millennium are the priests, who, however, in order to realize their
mission, need to nourish in themselves a life which is a pure reflection
of their identity, and to live a union of love with Jesus Christ Eternal
High Priest, Head and Master, Spouse, and Pastor of his Church. They
should strengthen their own spirituality and ministry with a continuous
and complete formation.

This Directory, requested by numerous Bishops during the Synod of
1990 and in a general consultation of the Episcopate promoted by our
Congregation, was conceived in order to respond to these needs.

In order to outline the content, the suggestions of the entire world
episcopate—consulted on purpose—, the results of plenary sessions of
the Congregation held in the Vatican in October of 1993, as well as the
considerations of many theologians, canonists and experts on the matter
from diverse geographical areas and involved in current pastoral work
were taken into account.

Effort was made to offer practical elements for employing initiatives
in the most unitary way possible, while avoiding specific conditions
which are proper to a particular Diocese of Episcopal Conference. With
this in mind, it appeared proper that this Directory recall only those
doctrinal elements which are the basis of the identity, spirituality and
continuous formation of priests.

The document, therefore, does not intend to offer an exhaustive
exposition on the priesthood, nor a mere repetition of what has already
been authentically declared by the Magisterium of the Church, but rather
to respond to the principal questions of a doctrinal, disciplinary and
pastoral nature, placed upon the priests by the demands of the new
evangelization.

Thus, for example, there was a need to clarify the true priestly
identity, as the Divine Master has willed and as the Church has always
seen; it is not reconcilable with those tendencies which would like to
empty of annul the reality of the ministerial priesthood. Particular
emphasis was given to the theme of communion, a demand especially felt
today, with its imminent presence in the life of the priest. The same
can be said of priestly spirituality which, in our times, has suffered
many contradictions, above all, due to secularism and an erroneous
anthropologism. Therefore, it is necessary to offer some counsels for an
adequate and permanent formation which may help the priests to joyfully
and responsibly live their vocation.

The text is directed of course, through the Bishops, to all the
priests of the Church of the Latin Rite. The directives contained here
concern, in particular, the secular, diocesan clergy, although with due
adaptations, they can also help priests of religious institutes and of
societies of apostolic life.

It is hoped that this Directory be a help for every priest in
deepening his identity and in growing in his spirituality; an
encouragement in the ministry and permanent formation—for which each
one is primarily responsible—, and a point of reference for a rich and
authentic apostolate for the good of the Church and of the entire world.

From the Congregation for the Clergy, Holy Thursday 1994.

Jose Card. Sanchez, Prefect

Crescenzio Sepe, Titular Archbishop of Grado, Secretary

Chapter I: The Identity Of The Priest

Priesthood as a Gift

1. The entire Church participates in the priestly anointing of Christ
in the Holy Spirit. In the Church, in fact, "all the faithful form
a holy and royal priesthood, offer spiritual sacrifices through Jesus
Christ and proclaim the greatness of him who has called you out of
darkness into his marvellous light" (cf 1 Pet 2:5. 9).[4] In
Christ, his entire Mystical body is united to the Father through the
Holy Spirit for the salvation of all men.

However, the Church cannot carry out this mission alone: all of her
work intrinsically needs communion with Christ, the Head of his Body.
Indissolubly united to her Lord, she continuously receives from Him the
effects of grace and truth, of guidance and support so that she may be
for all and for each one "a sign and instrument, that is, of
communion with God and of unity among all men".[5] The ministerial
priesthood finds its reason for being in light of this vital and
operative union of the Church with Christ. As a result, through this
ministry the Lord continues to accomplish among his People the work
which as Head of his Body belongs to Him alone. Thus, the ministerial
priesthood renders tangible the actual work of Christ, the Head, and
gives witness to the fact that Christ has not separated Himself from his
Church; rather He continues to vivify her through his everlasting
priesthood. For this reason, the Church considers the ministerial
priesthood a gift given to Her through the ministry of some of her
faithful.

This gift which was instituted by Christ to continue his own salvific
mission was conferred upon the Apostles and remains in the Church
through the Bishops and their successors.

Sacramental Roots

2. Through the sacramental ordination conferred by the imposition of
hands and the consecratory prayers of the Bishop, "a specific
ontological bond which unites the priest to Christ, High Priest and Good
Shepherd"[6] is established.

Thus, the identity of the priest comes from the specific
participation in the Priesthood of Christ, in which the one ordained
becomes, in the Church and for the Church, a real, living and faithful
image of Christ the Priest, "a sacramental representation of
Christ, Head and Shepherd".[7] Through consecration, the priest
"receives a spiritual 'power' as a gift which is a participation in
the authority with which Jesus Christ, through his Spirit, guides the
Church".[8] This sacramental identification with the Eternal High
Priest specifically inserts the priest into the Trinitarian mystery and,
through the mystery of Christ, into the ministerial Communion of the
Church so as to serve the People of God.[9]

In communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

3. If it is true that each Christian, by means of Baptism, is in
communion with God, One and Triune, it is equally true that by the power
of the consecration received with the Sacrament of Holy Orders, the
priest is placed in a particular and specific relation with the Father,
with the Son and with the Holy Spirit. In fact, "Our identity has
its ultimate source in the charity of the Father. He sent the Son, High
Priest and Good Shepherd, and we are united sacramentally with the
ministerial priesthood through the action of the Holy Spirit. The life
and the ministry of the priest are a continuation of the life and the
action of the same Christ.

This is our identity, our true dignity, the fountain of our joy, the
certainty of our life".[10] Therefore, the identity, the ministry
and the existence of the priest are essentially related to the three
divine Persons for priestly service to the Church.

In the Trinitarian Dynamics of Salvation

4. The priest, "as a visible continuation and sacramental sign
of Christ in his own position before the Church and the world, as the
enduring and ever-new source of salvation",[11] finds himself
inserted into the Trinitarian dynamics with a particular responsibility.
His identity springs from the <ministerium verbi et
sacramentorum,> which is in essential relation to the mystery of
salvific love of the Father (cf Jn 17:6-9. 24; 1 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1), to
the priestly being of Christ, who personally chooses and calls his
ministers to be with him (cf Mk 3:15), and to the gift of the Spirit (cf
Jn 20:21), who communicates to the priest the necessary power for giving
life to a multitude of sons of God, united in the one ecclesial body and
oriented towards the Kingdom of the Father.

Intimate Relation with the Trinity

5. From this, one perceives the essentially "relational"
characteristic (Jn 12 17:11. 21)[12] of the priest's identity. The grace
and the indelible character conferred with the sacramental unction of
the Holy Spirit,[13] place the priest in personal relation with the
Trinity since it is the fountain of the priestly being and work.

Therefore, the priest must live this relationship in an intimate and
personal manner, in a dialogue of adoration and of love with the three
divine Persons, conscious that he has received this gift for the service
of all.

Christological Dimension

Specific Identity

6. The Christological dimension, like the Trinitarian dimension,
springs directly from the sacrament which ontologically configures the
priest to Christ the Priest, Master, Sanctifier and Pastor of his
People.[14] The faithful who, maintaining their common priesthood, are
chosen and become part of the ministerial priesthood are granted an
indelible participation in the one and only priesthood of Christ. This
is a participation in the public dimension of mediation and authority
regarding the sanctification, teaching and guidance of all the People of
God. On the one hand, the common priesthood of the faithful and the
ministerial or hierarchical priesthood are necessarily ordered one for
the other because each in its own way participates in the only
priesthood of Christ and, on the other hand, they are essentially
different.[15]

In this sense the identity of the priest is new with respect to that
of all Christians who through Baptism participate as a whole in the only
priesthood of Christ and are called to give witness to Christ throughout
the earth.[16] The specificity of the ministerial priesthood lies in the
need that the faithful have of the mediation and dominion of Christ
which is made visible by the work of the ministerial priesthood.

In this unique identity with Christ, the priest must be conscious
that his life is a mystery totally grafted onto the mystery of Christ
and of the Church in a new and specific way and that this engages him
totally in pastoral activity and rewards him.[17] In the Heart of the
People of God

7. Christ associates the Apostles to his own mission. "As the
Father has sent me, I also send you" (Jn 20:21). In Holy Ordination
itself, the missionary dimension is ontologically present. The priest
was chosen, consecrated and sent to carry out effectively in our time
this eternal mission of Christ; he becomes his authentic representative
and messenger: "He that hears you, hears me; he that despises you,
despises me; and he that despises me, despises him that sent me"
(Lk 10:16). One can therefore say that the configuration to Christ,
through sacramental consecration, defines the role of the priest in the
heart of the People of God, making him participate in his own way in the
sanctifying, magisterial and pastoral authority of Jesus Christ himself,
Head and Pastor of the Church.[18]

Acting <in persona Chrisii capitis,> the priest becomes the
minister of the essential salvific actions, transmits the truths
necessary for salvation and cares for the People of God, leading them
towards sanctity.[19]

Pneumatological Dimension

Sacramental Character

8. In priestly Ordination, the priest has received the seal of the
Holy Spirit which has marked him by the sacramental character in order
to always be the minister of Christ and the Church. Assured of the
promise that the Consoler will abide "with him forever" (Jn
14:16-17), the priest knows that he will never lose the presence and the
effective power of the Holy Spirit in order to exercise his ministry and
live with charity his pastoral office as a total gift of self for the
salvation of his own brothers.

Personal Communion with the Holy Spirit

9. It is also the Holy Spirit who by Ordination confers on the priest
the prophetic task of announcing and explaining, with authority, the
Word of God. Inserted in the communion of the Church with the entire
priestly order, the priest will be guided by the Holy Spirit whom the
Father has sent through Christ. The Holy Spirit teaches him everything
and reminds him all Jesus has said to the Apostles. Therefore, the
priest with the help of the Holy Spirit and the study of the Word of God
in the Scriptures, with the light of Tradition and of the
Magisterium,[20] discovers the richness of the Word to be proclaimed to
the ecclesial community entrusted to him.

Invocation of the Holy Spirit

10. Through the sacramental character and the identification of his
intention with that of the Church, the priest is always in communion
with the Holy Spirit in the celebration of the liturgy, especially in
the Holy Eucharist and the other sacraments. In fact, in each sacrament,
Christ invoked by the priest who celebrates in <persona Christi>
acts through the Holy Spirit with his efficacious power on behalf of the
Church.[21]

Thus, the sacramental celebration finds its efficacy in the Word of
Christ who has instituted it and in the power of the Holy Spirit which
the Church invokes frequently in the epiclesis. This is particularly
evident in the Eucharistic Prayer in which the priest, invoking the
power of the Holy Spirit on the bread and on the wine, pronounces the
words of Jesus and actualizes the mystery of the Body and of the Blood
of Christ, really present through transubstantiation.

Strength to Guide the Community

11. It is thus in the communion with the Holy Spirit that the priest
finds the strength to guide the community entrusted to him and to
maintain it in the unity wanted by the Lord.[22] The prayer of the
priest in the Holy Spirit can be patterned on the priestly prayer of
Jesus Christ (Jn 17).

Therefore, he must pray for the unity of the faithful so that they
may be one in order that the world may believe that the Father has sent
the Son for the salvation of all.

Ecclesial Dimension

"In" and "in front of the Church

12. Christ, the permanent and always new origin of salvation, is the
mysterial font from which is derived the mystery of the Church, his Body
and his Bride, called by his Spouse to be a sign and instrument of
redemption. Through the mystery of Christ, the priest lives his multiple
ministries and is inserted also into the mystery of Church which
"becomes aware in faith that her being comes not from herself but
from the grace of Christ in the Holy Spirit".[23] In this sense,
while the priest is in the Church, he is also set in front of it.[24]

A Certain Participation in the Spousal Nature of Christ

13. The Sacrament of Holy Orders, in fact, makes the priest a sharer
not only in the mystery of Christ the Priest, Master, Head and Shepherd
but, in some way, also in Christ "Servant and Spouse of the
Church".[25] This is the "Body" of him who has loved and
loves to the point of giving himself for her (cf Eph 5:25); who renews
her and purifies her continually by means of the Word of God and of the
sacraments (cf Ibid. 5:26); who works to make her always more beautiful
(cf Ibid. 5:27), and lastly, who nourishes her and treats her with care
(cf Ibid. 5:29).

The priests, as collaborators of the Episcopal Order, form with their
Bishop a sole presbyterate[26] and participate, in a subordinate degree,
in the only priesthood of Christ. Similar to the Bishop, they
participate in that spousal dimension in relation to the Church which is
well expressed in the Rite of the episcopal ordination when the ring is
entrusted to them.[27]

The priest, who "in the individual local communities of the
faithful makes the Bishop present, so to speak, to whom they are united
with a faithful and great spirit"[28] must be faithful to the Bride
and almost like living icons of Christ the Spouse render fruitful the
multi-form donation of Christ to his Church.

By this communion with Christ the Spouse, the ministerial priesthood
is also founded—as Christ, with Christ and in Christ—in that mystery
of transcendent supernatural love of which the marriage among Christians
is an image and a participation.

Called to the act of supernatural love, absolutely gratuitous, the
priest should love the Church as Christ has loved her, consecrating to
her all his energies and giving himself with pastoral charity in a
continuous act of generosity.

Universality of the Priesthood

14. The command of the Lord: go to all the nations (Mt 28:18-20)
definitively expresses the place of the priest <in front of> the
Church.[29] Sent,—<missus>—by the Father by means of Christ,
the priest pertains "in an immediate way" to the universal
Church.[30] which has the mission to announce the Good News unto the
"ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8).[31] "The spiritual gift
received by priests in Ordination prepares them for a wide and universal
mission of salvation".[32] In fact, through Orders and the ministry
received, all priests are associated with the Episcopal Body and, in
hierarchical communion with it, according to their vocation and grace,
they serve the good of the entire Church.[33]

Therefore, the membership to a particular Church, through
incardination,[34] must not enclose the priest in a restricted and
particularistic mentality, but rather should open him to the service of
other Churches, because each Church is the particular realization of the
only Church of Jesus Christ, such that the universal Church lives and
fulfils her mission in and from the particular Churches in effective
communion with her. Thus, all the priests, must have a missionary heart
and mind and be open to the needs of the Church and of the world.[35]

Missionary Nature of the Priesthood

15. It is important that the priest be fully aware and profoundly
live this missionary reality of his priesthood, in total harmony with
the Church who feels the need to send her ministers to places where
their mission is more needed and to work toward a more equal
distribution of clergy.[36]

This demand in the life of the Church in the world must be felt and
lived by each priest, above all and essentially as the gift of living
within the institution and being at her service. Therefore, we cannot
accept those opinions which arise from a misunderstanding of particular
cultures, that tend to distort the missionary action of the Church,
called to fulfill the same universal mystery of salvation which
transcends all cultures and should vivify them.[37]

It must be said that the universal expansion of the priestly ministry
today is related to the socio-cultural features of the contemporary
world in which the need to eliminate all the barriers which divide
people and nations is felt and which, especially, through cultural
exchange, wants to bind people, despite the geographical distances
separating them. Consequently, today more than ever, the clergy must
feel itself apostolically bound to unite all men in Christ and in his
Church.

Authority as "amoris officium"

16. Another sign of the priest placing himself <in front of>
the Church is his being a guide who works toward the sanctification of
the faithful entrusted to his ministry, which is essentially pastoral.
This reality, which has to be lived with humility and coherence, can be
subject to two opposite temptations.

The first is that of exercising his ministry in an overbearing manner
(cf Lk 22:24-27; 1 Pt 5:1-4), while the second is that of disdaining the
configuration to Christ Head and Shepherd because of an incorrect view
of community.

The first temptation was also strong for the disciples themselves and
was promptly and repeatedly corrected by Jesus; all authority is
exercised in the spirit of service, as <amoris officium>[38] and
as an unselfish dedication for the good of the flock (cf Jn 13:14;
10:11).

The priest must always remember that the Lord and Master "did
not come to be served but to serve" (Mk 10:45); he has bent down to
wash the feet of the disciples (cf Jn 13:5) before dying on the Cross
and before sending them out to the whole world (cf Jn 20:2 1). The
priests will give authentic testimony to the Resurrected Lord, to whom
was given "all power in heaven and on earth" (cf Mt 28:18), if
they exercise their own power in a humble, authoritative service to his
own flock[39] and with respect to the duties which Christ and the Church
entrusted to the lay faithful[40] and to the consecrated faithful for
the profession of the evangelical counsels.[41]

Temptation of "Democratism"

17. It often happens that to avoid this first deviation, one falls
into the second, eliminating all the differences in the roles among the
members of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. This
practically negates the true doctrine of the distinction between the
common and ministerial priesthood.[42]

One of the dangers noticeable today is the so-called
"democratism". In respect to this, it should be remembered
that the Church recognizes all the merits and values which the
democratic culture has brought to human society. At the same time, the
Church has always fought with all the means within its reach for the
recognition of the equal dignity among all men.

With this strong ecclesial tradition the Vatican Council II openly
spoke about the dignity of all the baptized in the Church.[43]
Nevertheless, it is still necessary to affirm that the mentality and
current practice in cultural and socio-political trends of our times
cannot be transferred automatically to the Church. The Church, indeed,
owes its existence and structure to the salvific plan of God. She sees
herself as a <gift> from the benevolence of a Father who has saved
her through the humiliation of his Son on the cross. Therefore, the
Church, through the Holy Spirit, wants to be completely consonant and
faithful to the free and liberating will of its Lord Jesus Christ. This
mystery of salvation makes the Church by its specific nature, into a
reality diverse from the simple human society.

Hence, the so-called "democratism" becomes a grave
temptation because it leads to a denial of the authority and capital
grace of Christ and to distort the nature of the Church; it would be
almost just a human society. Such a view damages the very hierarchical
structure willed by its Divine Founder as the Magisterium has always
clearly taught and the Church herself has lived from the start. The
participation in the Church is based upon the mystery of communion
which, by its nature, sees in itself the presence and action of the
ecclesiastical hierarchy.

Therefore, the mentality which confuses the duties of the priests
with those of the lay faithful cannot be permitted in the Church. It is
sometimes manifested in some ecclesial organizations of participation.
In like manner, it does not distinguish the proper authority of the
Bishop from that of the priests as collaborators of the Bishops, or
denies the Petrine primacy in the College of Bishops.

To this effect, it should be remembered that the presbyterate and the
Council of Priests are not an expression of the right of association of
the clergy, and even less can be understood according to views of a
syndicalistic nature which claim interests of parties foreign to the
ecclesial community.[44]

Distinction between Common and Ministerial Priesthood

18. The distinction between the common and ministerial priesthood,
far from creating division among the members of the Christian community,
harmonizes and unifies the life of the Church. This, in fact, as regards
the Body of Christ, is an organic communion among all the members, in
which each one serves the community by fulfilling his own distinct role
and specific vocation (1 Cor 12:12 ff).[45]

Therefore, no one may licitly change what Christ has wanted for his
Church. It is indissolubly linked with its Founder and Head who alone
may provide her, through the power of the Holy Spirit, with ministers in
the service of the faithful. No community can take the place of Christ,
who is the one who calls, consecrates and sends forth ministers, through
the legitimate Pastors even in a situation of particular necessity, when
it might consider granting itself its own priest, in ways contrary to
the dispositions of the Church.[46] The solution to these cases of
necessity is Jesus' prayer: "pray therefore the Lord of the
harvest, that he send forth laborers into his harvest" (Mt 9:38).
If to this prayer done with faith, the fervent life of charity of the
community is added, we can be sure that the Lord will not fail to give
pastors according to his heart (cf Jer 3:15).[47]

Only the priests are pastors

19. One way to avoid falling into this "democratistic"
mentality is to shun the so-called "clericalization" of the
laity,[48] which tends to diminish the ministerial priesthood of the
priest. After the Bishop, the term "pastor" can only be
attributed in a proper and univocal sense to the priest by virtue of the
ministerial priesthood received with the Ordination. The attribute
"pastoral", in fact, refers both to the <potestas docendi
et sanctificandi>, and to the <potestas regendi.>[49]

It should be remembered that these tendencies do not favor the true
advancement of the laity because they frequently forget the authentic
ecclesial vocation and mission of the laity in the world.

Priestly Communion

Communion with the Trinity and with Christ

20. In light of the above-mentioned regarding the priest's identity,
the communion of the priest is fulfilled above all with the Father, the
ultimate origin of all his power; with the Son, in whose redemptive
mission he participates; with the Holy Spirit, who gives him the power
for living and fulfilling that pastoral charity which qualifies him in a
priestly way. In fact, "the nature and the mission of the
ministerial priesthood cannot be defined except in this multiple and
rich network of relations which spring from the Blessed Trinity and is
prolonged in the communion of the Church as a sign, in Christ, of the
union with God and the unity of the whole human race".[50]
Communion with the Church

21. The priest's communion-relation with the Church in its aspect of
mystery and ecclesial community comes from this fundamental
union-communion with Christ and the Trinity.[51] In fact, it is within
the mystery of the Church, as a mystery of Trinitarian communion with a
missionary zeal that the identity of every Christian is revealed and,
therefore, the specific and personal identity of the priest and of his
ministry as well.

Precisely, the ecclesial communion of the priest is lived in diverse
ways. In fact, through sacramental Ordination, he develops special bonds
with <the Pope, the Episcopal Body, his own Bishop, other priests and
the lay faithful.> Hierarchical Communion 22. Communion as a
characteristic of the priesthood is based on the unity of the Head,
Shepherd and Spouse of the Church, who is Christ.[52] In such
ministerial communion some precise ties are shaped with the Pope, the
College of Bishops and each one's diocesan Bishop. "There can be no
genuine priestly ministry except in communion with the Supreme Pontiff
and the Episcopal College, especially with one's own diocesan Bishop,
who deserves that filial respect and obedience promised during the rite
of ordination".[53] Thus, this refers to a hierarchical communion,
that is to say, a communion in that hierarchy in the same way that it is
structured within.

This communion, in virtue of participation subordinated to the
Bishops in the one ministerial priesthood and mission, also involves the
spiritual and organic-structural bond of priests with the entire
Episcopal order, their own Bishop,[54] the Roman Pontiff as Pastor of
the universal Church[55] and each particular Church. This is
strengthened by the fact that the entire Episcopal order as a whole and
each Bishop individually must be in hierarchical communion with the Head
of the College.[56] This College, in fact, is composed only of those
consecrated Bishops who are in hierarchical communion with its Head and
members.

Communion in the Eucharistic Celebration

23. Hierarchical communion is vividly expressed in the Eucharistic
prayers; when the priest prays for the Pope, the College of Bishops and
his own Bishop, he not only expresses a sentiment of devotion, but
attests to the authenticity of his celebration as well.[57]

The Eucharistic concelebration itself, in the circumstances and
conditions foreseen,[58] especially when presided by the Bishop and with
the participation of the faithful, manifests well the unity of the
priesthood of Christ in his ministers, as well as the unity of the
sacrifice of the People of God.[59] Moreover, it contributes to the
consolidation of sacramental fraternity which exists among priests.[60]

Communion in the Ministerial Activity

24. Each priest should have a deep, humble and filial bond of charity
with the person of the Holy Father and adhere to his Petrine ministry of
magisterium, of sanctification and of government, with exemplary
docility.[61] In his fidelity and service to the authority of his
Bishop, he lives the communion called for by the practice of his
priestly ministry. For the pastors with more experience it is easy to
confirm the need to avoid any form of subjectivism in his ministry and
adhere with responsibility to pastoral programs. Besides being an
expression of maturity, such adhesion contributes to the building of
that unity in the communion which is indispensable for the work of
evangelization.[62] With full respect for hierarchical subordination,
the priest will promote a genuine rapport with his Bishop, indicated by
sincere confidence, cordial friendship, and true effort towards
consonance and convergence in ideals and programs. Nothing should take
away from the intelligent capacity for personal initiative and pastoral
enterprise.[63]

Communion in the Priesthood

25. By virtue of the Sacrament of Holy Orders "every priest is
united to the other members of the priesthood by specific bonds of
apostolic charity, ministry and fraternity".[64] He is, in fact
inserted into the <Ordo Presbyterorum> constituting that unity
which can be defined as a true family in which the ties do not come from
flesh nor from blood but from the grace of Holy Orders.[65]

This membership in a specific presbyterate,[66] always comes within
the context of a particular Church, of an Ordinariate or of a personal
Prelature. In fact, unlike the case of the College of Bishops, it seems
that there are no theological foundations to affirm the existence of a
universal Presbyterate.

Priestly fraternity and membership to a presbyterate are, therefore,
elements characterizing the priest. The rite of the imposition of the
hands by the Bishop and all of the priests present during the priestly
Ordination has special significance and merit because it points to the
equality of participation in the ministry, and to the fact that the
priest cannot act by himself; he acts within the presbyterate becoming a
brother of all those who constitute it.[67]

Incardination in a Particular Church

26. Incardination in a particular Church[68] constitutes an authentic
juridical bond[69] which also has a spiritual value, since from it
springs "the rapport with the Bishop in the sole presbyterate,
sharing in the ecclesial solicitude, in dedication to the evangelical
care of the People of God in specific historical conditions and
settings".[70] In this perspective, the bond with the particular
Church is rich in meaning for pastoral action as well.

It should not be forgotten that the secular priests not incardinated
in the Diocese and the priest members of a religious institute or of a
society of apostolic life who live in the Diocese[71] and exercise some
office therein,[72] although still placed under their legitimate
Ordinaries, belong by full or a diverse title to the clergy of such
Diocese[73] where "they have the right to both an active and a
passive voice in an election to the council of priests.[74] The
religious priests, in particular, by unity of powers, share the pastoral
care offering the contribution of specific charisms and "with their
presence inspiring the particular Church to live more vividly its
universal openness".[75]

The priests, then, incardinated in a Diocese, who are serving an
ecclesial movement approved by the competent ecclesiastical
Authority,[76] are aware of being members of the presbyterate of their
Diocese and must sincerely collaborate with it. The Bishop of
incardination, on his part, must respect the way of life required by the
membership to a Movement, and it may be fitting, by the norm of the law,
to permit the priest to lend his services to other churches, if this
forms part of the charism of the movement itself.[77]

The Presbyterate: a Place of Sanctification

27. The presbyterate is a privileged place in which the priest should
be able to find the means of sanctification and evangelization and of
being helped to overcome the limits and the weaknesses which are proper
to human nature and which are particularly felt today.

He will therefore make every effort to avoid living his own
priesthood in an isolated and subjectivistic way, and must try to
enhance fraternal communion in the giving and receiving—from priest to
priest—of the warmth of friendship, of affectionate help, of
acceptance, of fraternal correction, well aware that the grace of Orders
"assumes and elevates human relations, psychologically,
affectionately, cordially and spiritually".[78]

All this is expressed in the liturgy of the Mass <In Coena
Domini> of Holy Thursday which shows how through Eucharistic
communion—born in the Last Supper—the priests receive the capacity
to love one another, as the Master loves them.[79]

Priestly Friendship

28. The profound ecclesial sense of the presbyterate fosters the
personal responsibility of each priest in carrying out the particular
ministry entrusted to him by the Bishop.[80] The capacity to develop and
profoundly live priestly friendship is a source of serenity and joy in
the exercise of the ministry, a decisive support in difficulties and a
valuable help in the growth of pastoral charity. Priests must exercise
this friendship in a particular way precisely towards those brothers
most in need of understanding, help and support.[81]

Common Life

29. A manifestation of this communion is also the <common life>
always supported by the Church, recently emphasized by the documents of
Vatican Council II[82] and of the successive Magisterium,[83] and
applied in many Dioceses with positive results. Among the diverse forms
of this (communal house, community of table, etc.) one must look highly
upon the communal participation in liturgical prayer.[84] The diversity
of forms must be encouraged according to the possibilities and practical
situations, without necessarily emphasizing models proper to religious
life. Particularly praiseworthy are those associations which support
priestly fraternity, sanctity in the exercise of the ministry, and
communion with the Bishop and with the entire Church.[85]

It is necessary that parish priests be available to encourage common
life in the parochial house with their vicars,[86] effectively
considering them as their cooperators and sharers of the pastoral care.
And the vicars, in order to build priestly communion, must recognize and
respect the authority of the parish priest.[87]

Communion with the Lay Faithful

30. As a man of communion, the priest cannot express his love for the
Lord and for the Church without transmitting it in a real and
unconditional love for all Christians, the object of his pastoral
care.[88] Like Christ, he must make Christ "visible in the midst of
the flock" entrusted to his care,[89] having a positive and
encouraging rapport with the lay faithful. Recognizing in these their
dignity as sons of God, he develops his own role in the Church, and in
their service he offers all his priestly ministry and pastoral
charity.[90] In the awareness of the profound communion which binds him
to the lay faithful and to the religious, the priest will make every
effort "to awaken and deepen co-responsibility in the one common
mission of salvation, with a prompt and heartfelt esteem for all the
charisms and tasks which the Spirit gives believers for the building up
of the Church".[91]

More specifically, the parish priest, in his continuous concern for
the common good in the Church, will encourage associations of the
faithful and movements,[92] embracing them all, and helping them to find
among themselves a unity of goals, prayer and apostolic action.

Insofar as he unites the family of God and brings about the Church as
communion, the priest becomes the bridge between man and God, making
himself a brother of men who wants to be their pastor, father and
master.[93] The priest will guide the man of today, in his search for
the meaning of his existence, to a personal encounter with Christ, an
encounter which is realized as a message and as a reality already
present, although not in a definitive way, in the Church. In such a way
the priest, placed in the service of the People of God, will present
himself as an expert in humanity, a man of truth and of communion, a
witness of the solicitude of the Only Shepherd for each and every member
of his flock.

The community will be able to count on his dedication, availability,
untiring work of evangelization and, above all, his devoted and
unconditional love. Therefore, he will exercise his spiritual mission
with kindness and firmness, with humility and service,[94] opening
himself to compassion, participating in the sufferings which arise from
the various forms of poverty, spiritual and material, old and new. He
will know also how to act with humility and with mercy within the
difficult and uncertain ways of the conversion of sinners, to which he
will exercise the gift of truth and patience and the encouraging
benevolence of the Good Shepherd, who does not reprove the lost sheep,
but carries it on his shoulders and celebrates for its return to the
fold (cf Lk 15:4-7).[95]

The Communion with Religious and Members of Institutes of Consecrated
Life

31. Particular attention will be reserved to relations with the
brothers and the sisters engaged in a life of special consecration to
God in all their forms, showing them a sincere appreciation and a real
spirit of apostolic collaboration, respecting and promoting their
specific charisms. He will cooperate, moreover, so that the consecrated
life always appears more luminous for the benefit of the entire Church
and more persuasive and attractive to the new generations. In such
spirit of esteem for the consecrated life, the priest will give
particular care to those communities which, for various reasons, are
greatly in need of good doctrine, of assistance and of encouragement in
the faith.

Pastoral Work and Vocations

32. In his pastoral work, each priest will take particular care
concerning vocations, encouraging prayer for vocations, doing his best
in the work of catechetics, and taking care of the formation of the
ministers. He will promote appropriate initiatives through a personal
rapport with those under his care, allowing him to discover their
talents and to single out the will of God for them, permitting a
courageous choice in following Christ.[96]

Above all, a clear knowledge of one's specific identity, a unity of
life, a transparent cheerfulness, and a missionary zeal are the
indispensable elements of the vocational work that must be an integral
and organic part of ordinary pastoral action. The priest will always
maintain relations of cordial collaboration and of sincere affection
with the seminary, for it is the cradle of his vocation and the first
place in which he experienced communal life. It would be desirable that
every priest be concerned with inspiring at least one priestly vocation
which could thus continue the ministry.

Political and Social Obligation

33. The priest, as servant of the universal Church, cannot tie
himself to any historical contingency, and therefore must be above any
political party. He cannot take an active role in political parties or
labour unions, unless, according to the judgment of the ecclesiastical
authority, the rights of the Church and the defense of common good
require it.[97] In fact, even if these are good things in themselves,
they are nevertheless foreign to the clerical state since they can
constitute a grave danger of division in the ecclesial communion.[98]

Like Jesus (cf Jn 6:15 ff.), the priest "ought to refrain from
actively engaging himself in politics, as it often happens, in order to
be a central point of spiritual fraternity".[99] All the faithful,
therefore, must always be able to approach the priest without feeling
inhibited for any reason. The priest will remember that "it does
not fall on the shoulders of the Pastors of the Church to intervene
directly in political activities and in social organizations. This task,
in fact, forms part of the lay faithful's vocation, in which they work
by their own initiative together with their fellow citizens".[100]
Nevertheless, he will not be absent "in the effort to form in them
an upright conscience".[101]

The reduction of his mission to temporal tasks, of a purely social or
political nature, is foreign to his ministry, and does not constitute a
triumph but rather a grave loss to the Church's evangelical
fruitfulness.

Chapter II: Priestly Spirituality Current Historical
Context

Interpreting the Signs of the Times

34. The life and ministry of priests always develop within a
particular historical context, at times replete with new problems and
unforeseen changes, in which the pilgrim Church lives. The priesthood is
not born of history, but of the immutable will of God. However, it
corresponds with historical circumstances and, to remain always faithful
to its nature, is configured, in specific choices, through a critical
relation and a demand of evangelical harmony with the "sign of the
times". Therefore, priests have the duty to interpret these
"signs" in the light of faith and subject them to prudent
judgment. In any case, they cannot ignore them, especially if they wish
to effectively orient their own lives in a way that will make their
service and testimony more fruitful for the kingdom of God.

In the current era of the life of the Church and society, priests are
called to live their ministry with depth, anticipating the ever more
profound, numerous and sensitive demands not only of a pastoral nature,
but also social and cultural, which they must face.[102]

Today these priests, therefore, are engaged in diverse areas of
apostolate which require complete dedication and generosity,
intellectual preparation and, above all, a mature and deep spiritual
life rooted in pastoral charity, which is their specific way to holiness
and which also constitutes an authentic service to the faithful through
pastoral ministry.

The Demands of the New Evangelization

35. Thus it is clear that the priest is involved in a very special
way in the effort of the entire Church to carry out the new
evangelization. Based on faith in Jesus Christ, Redeemer of mankind, the
priest is assured that in him rests an "unfathomable richness"
(Eph 3:8) which no culture nor era can exhaust which men can always draw
on for their enrichment.[103] This is a time therefore for a renewal of
our faith in Jesus Christ, who is the same "yesterday, today and
for ever" (Heb 13:8). Therefore "the call to the new
evangelization is above all a call to conversion".[104] At the same
time, it is a call to that hope, "which rests upon the promises of
God, on the fidelity to his Word, and which has the <resurrection of
Christ> as an unshakeable certainty, his definitive victory over sin
and death, the first announcement and root of every evangelization,
foundation of every human advancement, the starting point of every
authentic Christian culture".[105]

In this context, the priest must above all revive his faith, his hope
and his sincere love for the Lord, in such a way as to be able to
present him for the contemplation of the faithful and all men as he
truly is: a living and fascinating Person, who loves us more than anyone
else because He has given his life for us; "greater love has no man
than this, that a man give his life for his friends" (Jn 15:13). At
the same time, the priest, conscious that each person is, in diverse
ways, looking for a love that is capable of bringing them beyond the
anguishes concomitant with human weakness and egoism, and above all with
death itself, must proclaim that Jesus Christ is the answer to all these
anxieties. In the new evangelization, the priest is called to be the
<herald of hope.>[106]

The Challenge of Sects and New Cults

36. The proliferation of sects and new cults, as well as their
diffusion also among the Catholic faithful, constitutes a particular
challenge to the pastoral ministry. At the root of these phenomena lie
complex causes. At all events, the priestly ministry is called to
respond promptly and incisively to the search for the sacred and for
authentic spirituality which today is emerging in a particular way. In
recent years, in effect, it has become evident that there is an
eminently pastoral necessity for the priest to be a man of God and a
teacher of prayer.

At the same time, this obliges the priest to be welcoming towards the
community entrusted to his pastoral care in such a way that no member of
the community would be made to feel anonymous or think themselves an
object of indifference. This is a responsibility which indeed falls on
all the faithful, but in a special way on the priest, who is the man who
brings about communion. If he knows how to receive each one who
approaches him with esteem and respect, appreciative of their value as
persons, then he will generate an authentic charity which will become
contagious and will gradually extend itself through the entire
community.

To rise to the challenge of sects and new cults, a mature and
comprehensive catechesis is of particular importance. This, at the
present time, requires that the priest make a special effort to ensure
that his faithful really understand the meaning of their Christian
vocation and of their Catholic faith. The faithful must be educated, in
a particular way, to understand well the relationship between their
specific vocation in Christ and their belonging to his Church which must
learn to love in a filial and tenacious way. This will all come to pass
if the priest, in his life and in his ministry, avoids everything which
could either be the cause of tepidity or coldness towards, or restrict
the identification with the Church.

Lights and Shadows in Ministerial Activity

37. It is greatly comforting to note that today priests of all ages
and in the great majority carry out their ministry with joyful effort,
often the result of silent heroism, working with all their strength
without seeing at times, the fruits of their labour. Through this
effort, today they form a living expression of that divine grace which,
given freely in the moment of Ordination, continues to grant an
ever-renewing strength to their ministry.

Along with this light, there is no lack of shadows which tend to
weaken its beauty and render as less credible their testimony to the
world. Pastoral ministry is a fascinating undertaking, yet arduous, open
to misunderstanding and marginalization, and, especially today, to
fatigue, challenge, isolation and, at times, solitude. To rise to the
challenge continuously presented him by the secularist mentality, the
priest must make every effort to protect the absolute primacy of his
spiritual life, his continuous presence with Christ and his generous
pastoral charity, intensifying his communion with all men and, above
all, with other priests.

Being With Christ In Prayer

Priority of the Spiritual Life

38. The priesthood was, so to speak, <conceived> in that long
prayer during which our Lord Jesus spoke with the Father about his
Apostles and, certainly, all those who in the course of time, would be
made participants in his very mission (cf Lk 6:12; cf Jn 17:15-20). The
very prayer of Jesus in Gethsemane (cf Mt 26:36-44), leading toward the
priestly sacrifice of Golgotha, manifests in a paradigmatic way
"how our priesthood should be profoundly linked to prayer: rooted
in prayer".[107]

Born of these prayers and called to renew a Sacrifice inseparable
from these, priests maintain their ministry with a spiritual life to
which they give absolute pre-eminence, avoiding any neglect due to other
activities. Precisely in order to effectively carry out his pastoral
ministry, the priest must enter into a special and profound rapport with
Christ the Good Shepherd, who alone remains the principal protagonist in
any pastoral action.

Means for the Spiritual Life

39. Such a spiritual life must be embodied in each priest through the
liturgy, personal prayer, his life-style and the practice of the
Christian virtues, which contribute to the richness of ministerial
action. The very conformity to Christ requires one to breathe, so to
speak, in a climate of friendship and personal encounter with the Lord
and in service to the Church, his Body, for which the priest will show
his love through the faithful fulfillment and defense of the duties of
pastoral ministry.[108]

It is necessary, therefore, that the priest program his life of
prayer in a manner which embraces: the daily Eucharistic
celebration,"[109] with adequate preparation and thanksgiving;
frequent confession[110] and spiritual direction already practiced in
the seminary;[111] the complete and fervent celebration of the liturgy
of the hours,[112] on a daily basis;[113] examination of
conscience;[114] mental prayer;[115] divine readings;[116] the prolonged
moments of silence and prayer, above all in periodical Spiritual
Exercises and Retreats;[117] the affectionate expression of Marian
devotions, like the Rosary;[118] the "Via Crucis" and other
pious exercises;[119] and the fruitful reading on lives of the
saints.[120]

Each year during the Mass of Holy Thursday, as a sign of enduring
desire of fidelity, priests renew in the presence of the Bishop, and
together with him, the promises made in the moment of Ordination.[121]
The care for the spiritual life should be felt as a joyful duty on the
part of the priest himself, and also as a right of the faithful who seek
in him, consciously or not, the <man of God,> the counselor, the
mediator of peace, the faithful and prudent friend, the sure guide to
confide in during the more difficult moments in life to find
encouragement and security.[122]

Imitating Christ in Prayer

40. Due to numerous duties stemming in large part from pastoral
activity, the priest's life is linked, now more than ever, to a series
of requests which could lead to a growing <exterior activism,>
submitting that life to a frenetic and disordered pace. In light of such
a "temptation", one must not forget that the initial intention
of Jesus in convoking the Apostles around Him was above all that they
"remain with him" (Mk 3:14).

The Son of God himself has wished to leave us a testimony of his
prayer. In fact, the Gospels frequently present us with Christ in
prayer: in the revelation of his mission by the Father (cf Lk 3:21-22),
before the calling of the Apostles (cf Lk 6:12), in giving thanks to God
in the multiplication of the bread (cf Mt 14: 19; 15:36; Mk 6:41; 8:7;
Lk 9:16; Jn 6:11), in the Transfiguration (cf. Lk 9:28-29), the healing
of the deaf-mute (cf Mk 7:34) and raising of Lazarus (cf Jn 11:41 ff.),
before the confession of Peter (cf Lk 9:18), when He teaches the
disciples how to pray (cf Lk 11:1), and when these return after
completing their mission (cf Mk 11:25 ff.; Lk 10:21 ff.), in the
blessing of the children (cf Mk 19:13) and in the prayer for Peter (cf
Lk 22:32). All of his daily life is rooted in prayer. Thus, he retreated
to the desert or the mountain to pray (cf Mk 1:35; 6:46; Lk 5:16; Mt
4:1; Mt 14:23), rose early (cf Mk 1:35) and spent the entire night in
prayer to God (cf Mt 14:23-25; Mk 6:46-48; Lk 6:12).

Near the end of his life, at the Last Supper (cf Jn 17:1-26), in the
agony of the garden (cf Mt 26:36-44) and on the Cross (cf Lk 23:34-46;
Mt 27:46; Mk 15:34), the divine Master demonstrated that prayer gave
life to his Messianic ministry and to his paschal exodus. Risen from the
dead, he lives forever and prays for us (cf Heb 7:25).[123] Following
the example of Christ, the priest must know how to maintain the vivacity
and abundance of the moments of silence and prayer in which he
cultivates and deepens his own essential relationship with the living
figure of Jesus Christ.

Imitating the Church in Prayer

41. To remain faithful to the obligation of "being with
Christ", it is necessary that the priest know how to imitate the
Church in prayer. In giving the Word of God, which he himself has
received with joy, the priest is reminded of the exhortation given by
the Bishop on the day of his Ordination: "Therefore, making the
Word the object of your continual reflection, always believe what you
read, teach what you believe, carry out in your life what you teach. In
this way, through the doctrine which nourishes the People of God and
with life's upright testimony which comforts and sustains them, you will
become a builder of the temple of God, which is the Church".
Likewise regarding the celebration of the sacraments, and in particular
the Eucharist: "Be aware, then, of what you are doing, understand
what is being fulfilled and why you are celebrating the mystery of the
death and Resurrection of the Lord, bear the death of Christ in your
body and walk in the newness of life". And, finally, regarding the
pastoral guidance of the People of God so as to lead them to the Father:
"Therefore, never turn your face from Christ, the Good Shepherd,
who has come not to be served, but to serve, and to seek and save those
who are lost".[124]

Prayer as Communion

42. Strengthened by the special bond with the Lord, the priest will
know how to confront those moments in which he could feel alone among
men; effectively renewing his being with Christ who in the Eucharist is
his refuge and best repose.

Like Christ, who was often alone with the Father (cf Lk 3:21; Mk
1:35), the priest also must be the man who finds communion with God in
solitude,[125] so he can say with St. Ambrose: "I am never less
alone than as when I am alone".[126]

Beside the Lord, the priest will find the strength and the means to
bring men back to God, to enlighten their faith, to inspire commitment
and sharing.

Pastoral Charity

Manifestation of the Charity of Christ

43. Pastoral charity constitutes the internal and dynamic principle
capable of uniting the multiple and diverse pastoral activities of the
priest and, given the socio-cultural and religious context in which he
lives, is an indispensable instrument for drawing men to a life in
Grace. Informed by such charity, the ministerial activity must be a
manifestation of the charity of Christ. With this charity the priest
will demonstrate in his bearing and conduct the total self-giving of
himself to the flock with which he has been entrusted.[127]

Assimilating the pastoral charity of Christ in such a way as to make
it part of his own life is a goal which requires continuous effort and
sacrifice by the priest, since this charity cannot be improvised, nor
considered acquired or attained definitively. The minister of Christ
must feel obliged to live and give testimony to this reality always and
everywhere, even when, due to his age, he be relieved of his specific
pastoral assignments.

Functionalism

44. Pastoral charity faces the danger, today especially, of being
emptied of its meaning through so-called "functionalism". It
is not rare, in fact, to perceive, even in some priests, the influence
of an erroneous mentality which reduces the ministerial priesthood to
strictly functional aspects. To merely play the role of the priest,
carrying out a few services and ensuring completion of various tasks
would make up the entire priestly existence. Such a reductive conception
of the identity of the ministry of the priest risks pushing their lives
towards an emptiness, an emptiness which often comes to be filled by
lifestyles not consonant with their very ministry.

The priest, who knows how to be the minister of Christ and his
Spouse, will also find in prayer, in study and in spiritual reading, the
strength necessary to overcome these dangers.[128]

Preaching The Word

Fidelity to the Word

45. Christ entrusted to the Apostles and to the Church the mission of
preaching the Good News to all men. To transmit the faith is to reveal,
to proclaim and to deepen in the Christian vocation; thus, the calling
which God addresses to each man in showing him the mystery of salvation
and, likewise, the place which he must hold in reference to that
mystery, as an adopted son in the Son.[129] This dual aspect is
succinctly brought to light in the Symbol of Faith, one of the most
revealing expressions with which the Church has always responded to the
call of God.[130]

Seen thus, the priestly ministry is presented with two demands which
are virtually the two sides of the same coin. In the first place, there
is the missionary character of the transmission of the faith. The
ministry of the Word cannot be abstracted or distanced from the life of
the people; indeed, it must make direct reference to the meaning of the
life of man, of each man, and, therefore, must have a role in the most
pressing questions present in the human conscience.

On the other hand there exists a demand of authenticity and of
conformity with the faith of the Church, guardian of the truths
concerning God and man. So it must be carried out with extreme
responsibility, aware that it entails a question of the greatest
importance which concerns the life of man and the meaning of his
existence.

For an effective ministry of the Word, the priest, aware of this
context, will highlight the testimony of life, which reveals the power
of the love of God and gives authenticity to his words. Moreover, he
will keep in mind the explicit preaching of the mystery of Christ to the
faithful, to non-believers and to non-Christians; of the catechism,
which is the ordered and organic exposition of the doctrine of the
Church; of the application of revealed truth to specific cases.[131]

The awareness of the absolute necessity of being founded on and of
"remaining" faithful to the Word of God and Tradition in order
to be true disciples of Christ and to know the truth (cf. Jn 8:31-32)
has always accompanied the history of priestly spirituality and has also
been authoritatively expressed by Vatican Council II.[132]

Above all for contemporary society, marked by theoretical and
practical materialism, by subjectivism and skepticism, it is necessary
that the Gospel be presented as "the power of God unto salvation to
everyone who believes" (Rom 16). Priests, remembering that
"the faith depends on hearing, and on hearing the Word of
Christ" (Rom 10:17), devote all of their energy to correspond to
this mission which is primary in their ministry. These, in fact, are not
only witnesses, but also the heralds and transmitters of the faith.[133]

Such ministry, developed within the hierarchical community, enables
him to authoritatively express the Catholic faith and give
<official> testimony of the faith of the Church. The People of
God, in effect, "is formed into one in the first place by the Word
of the living God, which is quite rightly sought from the mouth of
priests".[134]

In order to be authentic, the Word must be transmitted "without
duplicity and without any dishonesty, but rather manifesting with
frankness the truth before God" (2 Cor 4:2). The priest will wisely
avoid falsifying, reducing, distorting or diluting the content of the
divine message. His role, in fact, "is not to teach his own wisdom
but the Word of God and to issue an urgent invitation to all men to
conversion and to holiness".[135] Preaching, therefore, cannot be
reduced to the presentation of one's own thought, to the manifestation
of personal experience, to simple explanations of a psychological,[136]
sociological or humanitarian nature; nor can it excessively concentrate
on rhetoric, so often found in mass-communication. It concerns
proclaiming a Word which cannot be altered, because it has been
entrusted to the Church in order to protect, penetrate and faithfully
transmit it.[137]

Word and Life

46. The awareness of one's own mission to proclaim the Gospel must
always find concrete expression in pastoral activity. Thus the diverse
situations and settings in which he carries out his ministry will be
vivified in the light of the Word of God.

In order to be effective and credible, the priest, within the
perspective of the faith and his ministry, and with a constructively
critical outlook, must be familiar with the ideology, language, cultural
intricacies and the typologies diffused in the mass media and which, to
a large part, conditions the attitudes of society.

Stirred by the Apostle who exclaimed: "Woe to me if I do not
preach the Gospel!" (1 Cor 9:16), he must know how to use all of
those means of communication which modern science and technology
provide. Certainly, not all depends on such means or human capacity,
since divine grace can achieve its effects independently of the works of
man. However, in the plan of God, the preaching of the Word is,
normally, the preferred channel for the transmission of the faith and
for the mission of evangelization.

For all those who today are removed or are far from the message of
Christ, the priest will hear the particularly urgent and anguished plea:
"How are they to believe him whom they have not heard? And how are
they to hear, if no one preaches?" (Rom 10:14).

To respond to such questions, he must feel personally bound to
cultivate, in a particular way, a knowledge of Holy Scripture with a
sound exegesis, principally patristic, and meditated on according to the
various methods supported by the spiritual tradition of the Church, in
order to obtain a living understanding of love.[138] Seen in this light,
the priest will feel the duty of paying particular attention to the
preparation, be it remote or proximate, of liturgical homilies, to their
content, to the balance between the theoretical and practical aspects,
to the manner of teaching and to the technique of delivery, even to good
diction, respectful of the dignity of the matter and of the
listeners.[139]

Word and Catechetics

47. Catechetics plays a prominent role in this mission of
evangelization, being the preferred instrument for the teaching and
development of the faith.[140] The priest, as a collaborator with the
Bishop, has received the mandate and responsibility of encouraging,
coordinating and directing the catechetical activity of the community
with which he has been entrusted. He must know how to integrate such
activity into an organic project of evangelization, guaranteeing, above
all, the communion of the catechesis of his community with the person of
the Bishop, with the particular Church and with the universal Church.

In particular, he must know how to inspire precise and opportune
responsibility and in catechesis, be it with members of the Institutes
of Consecrated Life and societies of apostolic life, be it with the lay
faithful,[141] to be adequately prepared, showing these the recognition
and esteem for the catechetical task.

He must put special interest in caring for the initial and permanent
formation of catechists, of associations and movements. To the extent
possible, the priest must be the <catechist of catechists,>
forming in these a veritable community of disciples of the Lord which
serves as a point of reference for those receiving instruction.

Master[142] and educator of the faith,[143] the priest will ensure
that the catechism, especially where it concerns the sacraments, will be
a primary part in the Christian education of the family, in religious
instruction, in apostolic formation and movements, etc., and that it be
brought to all the faithful: children, adolescents, adults, the elderly.
He will, moreover, know how to transmit the catechetical teaching using
all those means, teaching aids and instruments of communication which
can be of use to the faithful, in a manner proper to their character,
capacity, age and condition in life, so as to teach them more fully the
doctrine of the Church and to how apply it in the most fitting way.[144]

To such end, the priest has the Catechism of the Catholic Church as
his principle point of reference. This text, in fact, contains the sound
and authentic norm of the teaching of the Church.[145]

The Sacrament Of The Eucharist

The Eucharistic Mystery

48. If the service of the Word is the foundational element of the
priestly ministry, the heart and vital center of it is constituted,
without a doubt, in the Eucharist, which is, above all, the real
presence in time of the unique and eternal sacrifice of Christ.[146]

The sacramental memorial of the death and Resurrection of Christ, the
true and efficacious representation of the singular redemptive
Sacrifice, source and apex of Christian life in the whole of
evangelization,[147] the Eucharist is the beginning, means, and end of
the priestly ministry, since "all ecclesiastical ministries and
works of the apostolate are bound up with the Eucharist and are directed
towards it".[148] Consecrated in order to perpetuate the Holy
Sacrifice, the priest thus manifests, in the most evident manner, his
identity.

There exists, in fact, an intimate rapport between the centrality of
the Eucharist, pastoral charity, and the unity of life of the
priest,[149] who finds in this rapport the decisive indications for the
way to the holiness to which he has been specifically called.

If the priest lends to Christ, Most Eternal High Priest, his
intelligence, will, voice and hands so as to offer, through his very
ministry, the sacramental sacrifice of redemption to the Father, he
should make his own the dispositions of the Master and, like him, live
those <gifts> for his brothers in the faith. The must therefore
learn to unite himself intimately to the offering, placing his entire
life upon the altar of sacrifice as a revealing sign of the gratuitous
and anticipatory love of God.

Celebrating the Eucharist Well

49. It is necessary to recall the irreplaceable value that the daily
celebration of the Holy Mass has for the priest,[150] be it in the
presence of other faithful or not. He must live it as the central moment
of his day and of his daily ministry, fruit of a sincere desire and an
occasion for a deep and effective encounter with Christ, and he must
take the greatest care to celebrate it with intimate participation of
the mind and heart. In a society ever more sensitive to communication
through signs and images, the priest must pay adequate attention to all
of that which can enhance the decorum and sacredness of the Eucharistic
celebration. It is important that, in such ceremonies, proper attention
is given to the appropriateness and cleanliness of the place, the
structure of the altar and tabernacle,[151] the dignity of the sacred
vessels, the vestments,[152] the hymns,[153] the music,[154] the
necessary silence,[155] etc. These are all elements which can contribute
to a better participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice. In fact, a lack
of attention to the symbolic aspects of the liturgy and, even more,
carelessness and coldness, superficiality and disorder, empty the
meaning and weaken the process of strengthening the faith.[156] Those
who improperly celebrate the Mass reveal a weakness in their faith and
fail to educate the others in the faith. Celebrating the Eucharist well,
however, constitutes a highly important catechesis on the Sacrifice.

The priest, then, in order to place at the service of the Eucharistic
celebration all of his gifts and to render it vivifying in the
participation of all of the faithful, must follow the rite established
in the liturgical books approved by the competent authority, without
adding, removing or changing anything.[157]

All Ordinaries, Superiors of Institutes of Consecrated Life,
Moderators of societies of apostolic life and all other Prelates have
the grave duty, besides that of being the first in example, of watching
over the liturgical norms regarding the celebration of the Eucharist, so
that they be faithfully observed in all places. Priests who celebrate
and concelebrate are obliged to wear the sacred vestments prescribed by
the rubrics.[158]

Eucharistic Adoration

50. The centrality of the Eucharist should be apparent not only in
the worthy celebration of the Sacrifice, but also in the proper
adoration of the Sacrament so that the priest might be the model for the
faithful also in devote attention and diligent meditation—whenever
possible done in the presence of our Lord in the tabernacle. It is hoped
that the priests entrusted with the guidance of communities dedicate
long periods of time for communal adoration and reserve the greatest
attention and honour for the Most Blessed Sacrament of the altar, also
outside of Holy Mass, over any other rite or gesture. "Faith and
love for the Eucharist will not allow Christ to remain alone in his
presence in the tabernacle".[159] A special time of Eucharistic
adoration could be during the celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours,
which constitutes a true prolongation, during the day, of the sacrifice
of praise and thanksgiving which has the Holy Mass as its sacramental
center and source. The Liturgy of the Hours, in which the priest, united
to Christ, is the voice of the Church throughout the world, will be
celebrated, even in community, when this be possible and in a proper
way, so as to be "the interpreter and instrument of the universal
voice which sings the glory of God and prays for the salvation of
man".[160]

An exemplary solemnity of this celebration will be reserved to the
canonical chapters. Therefore, whether it be in communal or individual
celebration, the Liturgy of the Hours must never be reduced to a mere
"duty" of mechanically performing a simple and lukewarm
reading, without the necessary attention to the text's meaning.

The Sacrament Of Penance

Minister of Reconciliation

51. The Holy Spirit for the remission of sins is a gift from the
Resurrection to the Apostles: "Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins
you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained." (Jn 20:21-23) God has exclusively
entrusted the work of reconciliation of man with God to his Apostles and
to those who succeed them in the same mission. Priests, then, by the
will of Christ, are the only ministers of the Sacrament of
Reconciliation.[161] Like Christ, they are invited to call sinners to
conversion and bring them back to the Father, by means of a merciful
judgment.

Sacramental Reconciliation re-establishes friendship with God the
Father and with all his sons in his family which is the Church, which,
in turn, is rejuvenated and edified in all of its dimensions: universal,
diocesan, parochial.[162]

In spite of the reality of a loss of the sense of sin, greatly
extended in the culture of our times, the priest must practice, with joy
and dedication, the ministry of the formation of consciences, pardon and
peace.

It is necessary, therefore, that he know how to identify himself, in
a certain sense, with this sacrament, and assuming the disposition of
Christ, reach out with mercy, like the good Samaritan, to a wounded
humanity, and thus make known the Christian novelty of the redemptive
dimension of Penance, with its healing and pardon.[163]

Dedication to the Ministry of Reconciliation

52. Because of his office[164] and because of his sacramental
ordination, the priest must dedicate time and to energy to hearing the
confessions of the faithful,[165] who, as experience shows, come freely
to receive this sacrament as long as there are priests available. This
goes even more so for churches in more frequented areas and for
sanctuaries. Here a fraternal and responsible collaboration with elderly
priests and religious is possible.

Every priest must follow the ecclesial norm which defends and
promotes the value of individual and personal confession, the upright
accusation of sins in the direct colloquy with the confessor,[166]
reserving the use of general confession and absolution to only
extraordinary cases which fulfill the required conditions, in accord with
the existing norms.[167] The confessor will have a way of enlightening
the conscience of the penitent with words which, however brief, will be
appropriate for that particular situation, and thus enhance a renewed
personal orientation toward conversion and make a deep impression upon
his spiritual journey, also through the imposition of an opportune
penance.[168]

In each case, the priest must know how to maintain the celebration of
Reconciliation on a sacramental level, overcoming the danger of reducing
it to a purely psychological or simply formalistic act. This will be
manifested by, among other things, faithfully following the norms
governing the place for hearing confession.[169]

The Necessity of Confession

53. Like any good faithful, the priest
also needs to confess his own sins and weaknesses. He is the first to
realize that the practice of this sacrament reinforces his faith and
charity toward God and his brothers. In order to effectively reveal the
beauty of Penance, it is essential that the minister of the sacrament
offer a personal testimony preceding the other faithful in living the
experience of pardon. This constitutes the first condition for restoring
the pastoral value of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this sense, it
is good for the faithful to see and know that their priests go to
confession regularly:[170] "the entire priestly existence falls
into decay if there is lacking, through neglect or for any other motive,
the periodic recourse, inspired by true faith and devotion, to the
Sacrament of Penance. In a priest who no longer went to confession or
did so poorly, his essence and action as priest would feel the effects
very quickly, as would the community of which he is pastor".[171]

Spiritual Direction for the Priest and for Others

54. Along with the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the priest must also
exercise the ministry of spiritual direction. The rediscovery and
extension of this practice, also in moments outside of the
administration of Penance, is greatly beneficial for the Church in these
times.[172] The generous and active attitude of priests in practicing it
also constitutes an important occasion for identifying and sustaining
the vocations to the priesthood and to the various forms of consecrated
life. In order to contribute to the improvement of their spirituality it
is necessary that they themselves practice spiritual direction. By
placing the formation of their soul in the hands of a wise
fellow-member, they will enlighten the conscience, from the first steps
in the ministry, and realize the importance of not walking alone along
the paths of spiritual life and pastoral duties. In making use of this
efficacious means of formation, so well-founded in the Church, priests
will have full freedom in choosing the person who will guide them.

Guide Of The Community

Priest for the Community

55. The priest is also called to meet demands, other than those
already seen, within another realm of his ministry. These demands
concern the caring for the life of the community with which he has been
entrusted and which is primarily expressed in his testimony of charity.
As pastor of the community, the priest exists and lives for it; he
prays, studies, works and sacrifices himself for the community. He is
disposed to give his life for it, loving it as Christ does, pouring out
upon it all his love and consideration,[173] lavishing it with all his
strength and unlimited time in order to render it, in the image of the
Church, Spouse of Christ, always more beautiful and worthy of the
benevolence of God and the love of the Holy Spirit.

This spousal dimension of the priest as pastor will help him guide
his community in service to each and every one of its members,
enlightening their consciences with the light of revealed truth, wisely
guarding the evangelical authenticity of the Christian life, correcting
errors, forgiving, curing the sick, consoling the afflicted, and
promoting fraternity.[174]

This refined and complete attention, will not only guarantee an ever
more effective charity, but also will manifest the deep communion which
should exist between the priest and his community, which is like an
extension of the communion with God, with Christ, and with the
Church.[175]

In Tune with the Church

56. In order to be a good guide of his People, the priest must also
be attentive to the signs of the times: those larger and deeper ones
which concern the universal Church and its sojourn in the history of
man, and those which more closely affect the specific situation of a
particular community.

This discernment requires the constant and correct study of
theological and pastoral problems, and the exercise of a knowledgeable
reflection on the social, cultural and scientific data presented to our
epoch. In carrying out their mission, priests must know how to transfer
these demands into a constant and sincere attitude of <being in tune
with the Church,> and thus will always work within a bond of
communion with the Pope, Bishops, other brothers in the priesthood, as
well as with the faithful consecrated through the profession of the
evangelical counsels and with the lay faithful.

They, moreover, will not fail to request, in legitimate ways and
taking into account the capacity of each one, the cooperation of the
consecrated faithful and the lay faithful, in exercising their mission.

Priestly Celibacy

Steadfast Will of the Church

57. Convinced of the profound theological and pastoral motives
upholding the relationship between celibacy and the priesthood, and
enlightened by the testimony which confirms to this day, in spite of
painful negative cases, its spiritual and evangelical validity, the
Church has reaffirmed in Vatican Council II and repeatedly in teachings
of the Pontifical Magisterium the "firm will to maintain the law
Which requires celibacy freely chosen and perpetual for candidates to
priestly Ordination in the Latin rite".[176]

Celibacy, in fact, is a gift which the Church has received and
desires to retain, convinced that it is a good for the Church itself and
for the world.

Theological-Spiritual Motives of Celibacy

58. Like any evangelical value, consecrated celibacy should be seen
as that liberating novelty which the world, especially today, demands as
a radical testimony that following Christ is a sign of the
eschatological reality. "Not all can understand it, but only those
to whom it has been given. For there are eunuchs who were born so from
their mother's womb; and there are eunuchs who were made so by men; and
there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of
heaven. He that can understand, let Him understand" (Mt.
19:10-12).[177]

To live with love and generosity the gift received, it is
particularly important that the priest understand from the beginning of
his seminary formation the theological and spiritual motives of
ecclesiastical discipline on celibacy.[178] This particular gift of God
demands the observance of chastity, the perfect and perpetual continence
for the Kingdom of heaven, so sacred ministers can more easily adhere to
Christ with an undivided heart and dedicate themselves more freely to
the service of God and man.[179] The ecclesiastical discipline
manifests, even before the subject expresses his will to be so disposed,
the will of the Church and finds its ultimate reason in the intimate
bond which celibacy has with holy Ordination, which shapes the priest to
Jesus Christ Head and Spouse of the Church.[180]

The letter to the Ephesians (cf 5:25-27) shows a strict rapport
between the priestly oblation of Christ (cf 5:25) and the sanctification
of the Church (cf 5:26), loved with a spousal love. Sacramentally
inserted into this priesthood of exclusive love of Christ for the
Church, His faithful Spouse, the priest expresses this love with his
obligation of celibacy, which also becomes a fruitful source of pastoral
effectiveness.

Celibacy, therefore, is not an external effect placed upon the
priestly ministry, nor can it be simply considered as an institution
laid down by law, because those who receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders
do so with full freedom and conscience,[181] after years of preparation,
and profound reflection and diligent prayer. Along with the firm
conviction that Christ grants them this <gift> for the good of the
Church and for the service of others, the priest assumes it for his
entire life, and it strengthens his will with regard to the promise
already made during the rite of deaconal Ordination.[182]

For these reasons, ecclesiastical law, on one hand, confirms the gift
of celibacy showing it to be in intimate connection with the sacred
ministry in its dual dimension of rapport with Christ and with the
Church; and, on the other hand, safeguards the freedom of those who
assume it.[183] The priest, then, consecrated to Christ with a new
exalted title,[184] must be well aware that he has received a gift with
a specific juridical bond which he is morally bound to observe. This
bond, freely assumed, has theological and moral characteristics which
are prior to the juridical characteristics, and is a sign of that
spousal reality present in sacramental Ordination. The priest also
acquires that true and real spiritual paternity which has universal
dimensions, and is specified, in a particular way, in the rapport with
the community to which he has been entrusted.[185]

Example of Jesus

59. Celibacy, then, is a gift of self "in" and
"with" of Jesus Christ to his Church and expresses the service
of the priest to the Church "in" and "with" the
Lord.[186]

It would be entirely immature to see celibacy as "a tribute to
be paid to the Lord" in order to receive Holy Orders rather than
"a gift received through his mercy",[187] as the free and
welcomed choice of a particular vocation of love for God and others.

The example is Christ, who in going against what could be considered
the dominant culture of his time, freely chose to live celibacy. In
following him the disciples left "everything" to fulfill the
mission entrusted to them (Lk 18:28-30).

For this reason the Church, from apostolic times, has wished to
conserve the gift of perpetual continence of the clergy and choose the
candidates for Holy Orders from among the celibate faithful (cf 2 Thes
2:15; I Cor 7:5; 9:5; I Tim 3:2-12; 5:9; Tit 1:6-8).[188]

Difficulties and Objections

60. In today's cultural climate, often conditioned by a vision of man
lacking in values and incapable of giving a complete, positive and
liberating sense to human sexuality, the question of the value and
meaning of priestly celibacy is often presented, or at least the
question of its strict rapport with ministerial priesthood.

Difficulties and objections have always accompanied, throughout
history, the decision by the Latin Church and some Oriental Churches to
confer ministerial priesthood only on those men who have received from
God the gift of chastity in celibacy.

The difficulties which some present even today[189] are often founded
on pretentious arguments, for example that of an abstracted spiritualism
or claiming that continence leads to indifference or disdain for
sexuality, or they start from the consideration of difficult and painful
cases, or even generalize particular cases. This denies, however, the
testimony offered by the great majority of priests, who live their
celibacy with internal freedom, rich evangelical motivation, spiritual
depth, all in a panorama of strong and joyful fidelity to their vocation
and mission. It is clear that in order to guarantee and protect this
gift in a climate of serenity and spiritual progress, possible
difficulties for the priests should be avoided by use of appropriate
measures.[190]

It is necessary, therefore, that priests conduct themselves with due
prudence in dealing with those whose familiarity could be a possible
danger for fidelity to this gift or could cause scandal amongst the
faithful.[191] In particular cases, he must submit to the judgment of
the Bishop, who has the obligation to establish precise rules in this
matter.[192]

Priests, then, must not fail to follow those ascetical norms which
are proven by the Church's experience and which are demanded even more
in present-day circumstances. In this way they may prudently avoid
frequenting places, attending shows or reading materials which
constitute a danger to the observance of celibate chastity.[193] In
making use of means of social communication, whether as pastoral aids or
for leisure, they must observe the necessary discretion and avoid
anything which could harm their vocation.

To lovingly safeguard the gift received amidst today's climate of
irritating sexual permissiveness, they will find in their communion with
Christ and with the Church, in their devotion to the Blessed virgin
Mary, and in considering the example of holy priests of all times, the
strength necessary to overcome difficulties they may find along their
way and act according to that maturity which gives them credence before
the world.[194]

Obedience

Basis of Obedience

61. Obedience is a priestly value of primary importance. The very
sacrifice of Christ on the Cross acquired salvific value and
significance through his obedience and his fidelity to the will of the
Father. He was "obedient to death, and death on the Cross"
(Phil 2:8). The Letter to the Hebrews also points out that Jesus
"learned obedience from the things that He suffered" (Heb
5:8). It could be said, then, that obedience to the Father is the very
heart of the Priesthood of Christ.

Like Christ's, the priest's obedience expresses the will of God which
is made manifest to the priest through his legitimate Superiors. This
availability must be understood as a true act of personal freedom, the
result of a choice continually deepened in the presence of God in
prayer. The virtue of obedience, intrinsically required by the sacrament
and by the hierarchical structure of the Church, is clearly promised by
the clergy, first in the rite of diaconal Ordination, and then in
priestly Ordination. With it the priest strengthens his will of
submission, thus participating in the dynamics of the obedience of
Christ made Servant obedient to death on the Cross (Phil 2:7-8).[195]

In contemporary culture the value of the individual's subjectivity
and autonomy is emphasized, as if intrinsic to one's dignity. This
value, in itself positive, if made absolute and claimed outside of its
just context, assumes a negative value.[196] This attitude could also be
manifested in ecclesial circles, and in the very life of the priest
whenever his activities in the service of the community become reduced
to a subjective realm.

In reality, the priest, by the very nature of his ministry, is at the
service of Christ and the Church. Therefore, he must be disposed to
accept all that is justly indicated by his Superiors and, in a
particular way, if not legitimately impeded, must accept and faithfully
fulfill the task entrusted to him by his Ordinary.[197]

Hierarchical Obedience

62. Priests have a "special obligation to show reverence and
obedience to the Supreme Pontiff and to their own Ordinary.[198] In
virtue of his belonging to a determined presbyterate, the priest is
charged with the service of a particular Church, in which the principle
and foundation of unity is the Bishop[199] who has all the ordinary,
proper and immediate authority required for the exercise of his pastoral
office.[200] This hierarchical subordination, required by the sacrament
of Holy Orders, finds its ecclesiological-structural fulfillment in
reference to one's own Bishop and to the Roman Pontiff, ordinary of the
universal Church and thus of each particular Church.[201]

The obligation to follow the Magisterium in matters of faith and
morals is intrinsically united to all the functions which the priest
must perform in the Church. Dissent in this area is to be considered
grave, in that it produces scandal and confusion among the faithful.

No one is more aware than the priest of the fact that the Church
needs norms. In fact, since the Church's hierarchical and organic
structure is visible, the exercise of its functions, divinely entrusted,
especially those concerning its guidance and the celebration of the
sacraments, must be adequately organized.[202]

As for the ministry of Christ and of his Church, the priest
generously takes on the duty to faithfully fulfill each and every norm,
avoiding any sense of partial compliance according to subjective
criteria, which creates division and has damaging effects upon the lay
faithful and public opinion. Indeed, "canonical laws, by their very
nature, demand observance" and require "that which is mandated
by the head be observed by the members".[203]

In obeying the constituted authority, the priest, furthermore,
enhances mutual charity within the priesthood and also enhances that
unity which has its foundation in the truth.

Authority Exercised with Charity

63. In order to achieve a real obedience which will nourish ecclesial
communion, those who are in authority (Ordinaries, religious Superiors,
Moderators of societies of apostolic life), other than offer their
necessary and constant personal example, must exercise their own
institutional office with charity, be it in anticipating or properly
requesting the adhesion to each disposition <in the magisterial and
disciplinarian realm.>204

Such obedience is a source of freedom, insofar as it stimulates
sincere growth in maturity in the priest, who will know how to assume a
serene and even-minded pastoral conduct, creating a harmony in which
personality is based on a deep unity.

Respect for the Liturgical Norms

64. Among the many aspects of the question, the one concerning
liturgical norms merits special attention in our times. Liturgy is the
exercise of the priesthood of Jesus Christ,[205] "the summit to
which all action of the Church is directed; it is also the fount from
which all her power flows".[206] This constitutes an ambit in which
the priest should have particular awareness of being a minister and
faithfully obeying the Church. "The ordering and guidance of the
sacred liturgy depends solely on the authority of the Church, namely,
that of the Apostolic See, and, as provided by law, that of the diocesan
Bishop".[207] Therefore, in such matter, he must not add, remove or
change anything by his own initiative.[208]

This is especially true for the celebration of the sacraments, which
are acts of Christ and the Church by excellence, and which the priest
administers in the person of Christ and in name of the Church for the
good of the faithful.[209] These have a true right to participate in the
liturgical celebrations as the Church wills and not according to the
personal likes of a particular minister, nor according to unapproved and
unusual rites, expressions of specific groups which tend to cut
themselves off from the universality of the People of God.

Unity in Pastoral Planning

65. It is essential that priests, in exercising their ministry, not
only participate responsibly in the creation of pastoral plans which the
Bishop (with the cooperation with the Council of Priests)[210]
determines; they must also develop their own communities in harmony with
these plans. Creativity, that spirit of initiative proper to a
well-formed priest, will not only be unrestrained but can also be used
to full advantage in pastoral effectiveness.

An erroneous sense of independence in this area could bring about not
only a rupture in the necessary communion, but a weakening of the very
work of evangelization as well.

Obligation of Ecclesiastical Attire

66. In a secularized and materialistic society, where the external
signs of sacred and supernatural realities tend to disappear, it is
particularly important that the community be able to recognize the
priest, man of God and dispenser of his mysteries, by his attire as
well, which is an unequivocal sign of his dedication and his identity as
a public minister.[211] The priest should be identifiable primarily
through his conduct, but also by his manner of dressing, which makes
visible to all the faithful, indeed and to all men,[212] his identity
and his belonging to God and the Church.

For this reason, the clergy should wear "suitable ecclesiastical
dress, in accordance with the norms established by the Episcopal
Conference and the legitimate local custom".[213] This means that
the attire, when it is not the cassock, must be different from the
manner in which the laity dress, and conform to the dignity and
sacredness of his ministry. The style and colour should be established
by the Episcopal Conference, always in agreement with the dispositions
of the universal law.

Because of their incoherence with the spirit of this discipline,
contrary practices cannot be considered legitimate customs and should be
removed by the competent authority.[214] Outside of entirely exceptional
cases, a cleric's failure to use this proper ecclesiastical attire could
manifest a weak sense of his identity as one consecrated to God.[215]

Priestly Spirit Of Poverty

Poverty as Availability

67. The poverty of Christ has a salvific scope. Christ, being rich,
became poor for us, that by his poverty we might become rich (cf 2 Cor
8:9). The letter to the Philippians reveals the rapport between the
giving of oneself and the spirit of service which should enliven the
pastoral ministry. St. Paul says that Jesus did not consider "being
equal to God a thing to be clung to, but emptied himself, taking the
nature of a slave" (Phil 2:6-7). A priest could hardly be a true
servant and minister of his brothers if he were excessively worried with
his comfort and well-being. Through his condition of poverty, Christ
manifested that he has received everything from eternity from the Father
and all to him is restored in a complete offering of his life.

The example of Christ should lead the priest to conform himself to
Him, With an interior detachment as to the goods and riches of the
world.[216] The Lord teaches us that the true goodness is God and that
true richness is reaching eternal life: "For what does it profit a
man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul? Or
what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Mk 8:36-37).

The priest, whose inheritance is the Lord (Num. 18:20), knows that
his mission, like that of the Church, is carried out in the middle of
the world and that created goods are necessary for the personal
development of man. However, he Will use these goods with a sense of
responsibility, moderation, upright intention and detachment, precisely
because he has his treasure in heaven and knows that all should be used
for building the Kingdom of God (Lk 10:7; Mt 10:9-10; 1 Cor 9:14; Gal
6:6).[217] Therefore, the priest will deny himself those worldly
activities which are not in keeping with his ministry.[218]

Remembering, moreover, that the gift he has received is gratuitous,
he must be disposed to give in like manner (Ml 10:8; Acts 8:18-25),[219]
and to use what he receives from the exercise of his office for the good
of the Church and works of charity, after having provided for his honest
sustenance.[220]

The priest, although not having assumed poverty as a public promise,
must lead a simple life and avoid anything which could have an air of
vanity,[221] voluntarily embracing poverty to follow Christ more
closely.[222] In all aspects (living quarters, means of transportation,
vacations, etc.), the priest must eliminate any kind of affectation and
luxury.[223] Friend of those most in need, he will reserve his most
refined pastoral charity for these, with a preferential option for all
poverty, old and new, tragically present in our world, always
remembering that the first misery from which man must be liberated is
that of sin, the root of all evil.

Devotion To Mary

Imitating the Virtues of our Mother

68. There is an "essential rapport...between the Mother of Jesus
and the priesthood of the ministry of the Son", stemming from the
existing one between the divine maternity of Mary and the priesthood of
Christ.[224] In light of such a rapport, Marian spirituality is rooted
in every priest. Priestly spirituality could not be considered complete
if it were to fail to include the message of Christ's words on the
Cross, in which He conferred his Mother to the beloved disciple, and,
through him, to all priests called to continue his work of redemption.

Like John at the foot of the Cross, every priest has been entrusted,
in a special way, with Mary as Mother (cf Jn 19:26-27). Priests, who are
among the favoured disciples of Jesus, crucified and risen, should
welcome Mary as their Mother in their own life, bestowing her with
constant attention and prayer. The Blessed virgin then becomes the
Mother who leads them to Christ, who makes them sincerely love the
Church, who intercedes for them and who guides them toward the Kingdom
of heaven.

Every priest knows that Mary, as Mother, is also the most
distinguished modeler of his priesthood, since it is she who moulds the
priestly soul, protects it from dangers, from routine and
discouragement, and maternally safeguards it, so he may grow in wisdom,
age and grace, before God and men (cf Lk 2:40).

But they are not devout sons if they do not know how to imitate the
virtues of Mary. The priest will look to Mary to be a humble, obedient
and chaste minister and to give testimony of charity in the total
surrender to God and to the Church.[225]

Masterpiece of the priestly Sacrifice of Christ, the Blessed virgin
represents the Church in the purest way, "with neither stain nor
blemish", completely "holy and immaculate" (Eph 5:27).
This contemplation of the Blessed virgin places before the priest the
ideal to which the ministry in his community should lead, so that this
be a "wholly glorious Church" (ibid.) through the priestly
gift of his very life.

Chapter III: Ongoing Formation

The Need for Ongoing Formation Today

69. Ongoing formation is a need which begins and develops from the
moment of receiving the Sacrament of Holy Orders: with it the priest is
not only "consecrated" by the Father and "sent" by
the Son, but also "animated" by the Holy Spirit. Hence,
permanent formation springs from a Grace which produces a supernatural
force destined to assimilate continually, in ever broader and deeper
terms, the entire life and activity of the priest in fidelity to the
gift received: "I am reminding you, writes St. Paul to Timothy, to
fan into a flame the gift that God gave you" (2 Tim 1:6). This
necessity is intrinsic to the divine gift itself,[226] which is
continually "vivified" so that the priest may adequately
respond to his vocation. As a man situated in history, he needs to
perfect himself in all the aspects of his human and spiritual existence
in order to attain that conformity with Christ, the unifying principle
of all things.

Rapid and widespread transformations and a secularized social fabric
typical of the contemporary world are what make unavoidable the priest's
duty of being adequately prepared, so that he not lose his own identity
and so that he might respond to the demands of the new evangelization.
To this grave duty corresponds the specific right of the faithful, who
feel the effects of priests' solid formation and sanctity in a definite
way.[227]

A Continuous Task

70. The spiritual life of the priest and his pastoral ministry go
hand in hand with that ongoing personal formation to deepen and
harmonize the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral aspects of
his formation. This task, which should begin in the seminary, must be
supported by the Bishops at various levels: national, regional and,
above all, diocesan. It is encouraging to note that there are already
many Dioceses and Episcopal Conferences involved in promising
initiatives aimed at enhancing an authentic permanent formation of their
own priests. It is hoped that all Dioceses may be able to respond to
this need. However, where this may be impossible for the moment, it is
advisable that they come to an agreement among themselves or contact
those institutions or persons especially prepared to handle such a
delicate task.[228]

Instruments of Sanctification

71. Ongoing formation presents itself as a necessary of means to the
priest of today in order to achieve the aim of his vocation: the service
of God and of his People. In practice, this consists in helping all
priests respond generously to the commitment demanded by the dignity and
the responsibility which God conferred upon them through the sacrament
of Orders; in guarding, defending, and developing their specific
identity and vocation; and in sanctifying themselves and others through
the exercise of their ministry. This means that priests must avoid any
dualism between spirituality and ministry, for it is at the origin of
some profound crises.

It is evident that in order to achieve this end of a supernatural
order, the general criteria on which the permanent formation of priests
is to be organized must be discovered and analyzed. Such general
principles must be developed in light of the end proposed for the
process of formation.

It Must be Imparted by the Church

72. Ongoing formation is a right-duty of the priest and imparting it
is a right-duty of the Church. This is established in universal
law.[229] In fact, in the same way that the vocation to the sacred
ministry is received in the Church, only the Church has the competence
to impart the specific formation according to the responsibility proper
to such ministry. Therefore, permanent formation—an activity linked to
the exercise of the ministerial priesthood—belongs to the
responsibility of the Pope and of the Bishops. The Church, then, has the
duty and the right to continue forming its ministers, helping them to
progress in generous response to the gift which God has bestowed upon
them. On his part, the minister has also received, as a demand of the
gift connected with Ordination, the right to have the necessary help
from the Church in order to carry out his service effectively and in a
holy way.

It Must be Ongoing

73. The activity of formation is based on a dynamic demand intrinsic
to the ministerial charism, which is permanent and irreversible in
itself. Therefore this can never be considered finished, neither on the
part of the Church which imparts it, nor on the part of the minister who
receives it. It is therefore necessary that this be thought of and
developed in such a way that all priests may receive it <always,>
keeping in mind the characteristics and possibilities that vary with
age, condition of life, and assignments.[230]

It Must be Complete

74.Such a formation must cover and harmonize all the dimensions of
the formation of priests. Thus, it must tend to help each priest achieve
the development of a full human personality matured in the spirit of
service to others, in whatever task he may receive; it will permit him
to be intellectually prepared in the theological sciences as well as in
the human sciences, insofar as they are linked with his ministry, in
order to pursue his function as witness to the faith with a greater
effectiveness; that he have a deep spiritual life, nourished by intimacy
with Jesus Christ and by love for the Church; and so that he may pursue
his pastoral ministry with zeal and dedication. In practice, such
formation must be complete: spiritual, pastoral, human, intellectual,
systematic and personalized.

Human Formation

75. This formation is extremely important in today's world, as it
always has been. The priest must never forget that he is a man chosen
among men to be at the service of men. To sanctify himself and carry out
his priestly mission, he must present himself with an abundance of human
virtues which render him worthy of esteem by those around him.

In particular he must practice goodness of heart, patience, kindness,
strength of soul, love for justice, even-mindedness, truthfulness to his
word, coherence in the duties freely assumed, etc.[231] It is likewise
important that human virtues be reflected in the priest's social
conduct, correctness in the various forms of human relations,
friendships, courtesy, etc.

Spiritual Formation

76. Keeping in mind all that has been said with regards to spiritual
life, we limit ourselves here to presenting some practical means of
formation. Above all, it would be necessary to deepen the understanding
of the principal aspects of priestly existence, especially referring to
the biblical, patristic and hagiographic teachings in which the priest
must continually update himself, not only by reading good books but also
by participating in courses of studies, congresses, etc.[232]

Specific sessions may be dedicated to the care exercised in the
celebration of the Sacraments as well as to the study of questions of
spirituality such as Christian and human virtues, ways of praying,
rapport between spiritual life and liturgical ministry, pastoral
ministry, etc. More particularly, it is hoped that each priest, perhaps
during spiritual retreats, would develop a concrete plan of life,
possibly in agreement with his own spiritual director. The following
points may be indicated: 1. daily meditation on the Word or on a mystery
of the Faith; 2. daily personal encounter with Jesus Christ in the
Eucharist apart from the devout celebration of the Holy Mass; 3. Marian
devotion (Rosary, consecration or offering, intimate conversation); 4.
periods of doctrinal formation and study of hagiography; 5. due rest; 6.
renewed effort to put into practice the indications of the Bishop and to
verify his convictions of adherence to the Magisterium and to
ecclesiastical discipline and; 7. care for his communion and friendship
with other priests.

Intellectual Formation

77. Considering the enormous influence which humanistic and
philosophical trends have on modern culture, as well as the fact that
some priests have not received an adequate preparation in such
disciplines and also because they come from different scholarly
backgrounds, it is necessary that these meetings deal with the more
relevant humanistic and philosophical themes or those that are
"linked to the sacred sciences, particularly insofar as they
benefit the exercise of the pastoral ministry".[233] Such themes
also constitute a valid aid in order to deal correctly with the
principal arguments of fundamental, dogmatic and moral theology, of
Sacred Scriptures, of Liturgy, of Canon Law and of Ecumenism, etc.,
bearing in mind that the teaching of these matters should not be simply
problematic, informative and theoretical but must lead to an authentic
formation: towards prayer, communion and pastoral action. Things should
be done in such a way that during priestly encounters the documents of
the Magisterium may be studied together in a profound manner, under an
authoritative guide, so that the unity of interpretation and practice so
useful in the work of evangelization—may be facilitated in the
pastoral work of the Dioceses.

Particular importance in intellectual formation must be given to the
handling of themes which today have more relevance in cultural debates
and pastoral practices, such as, for example, those related to social
ethics, bioethics, etc. A special treatment must be reserved to the
questions posed by scientific advances, which are especially influential
to the mentality of contemporary men. Priests must be up-to-date and
prepared to respond to questions that science may pose in its
advancement. They should not fail to consult well-grounded and sound
experts. It is of the greatest interest that the social doctrine of the
Church be studied, deepened and disseminated. The interests of the
priests who are in favour of the needy, and of all the faithful through
them, must not remain as mere desires but be converted into specific
efforts, always following the impulse of the magisterial teachings.
"Today more than ever the Church is aware that her social message
must find credibility in the <testimony of works,> first of all in
her internal coherence and logic".[234] An indispensable demand for
the intellectual formation of priests is the knowledge and use of the
<means of social communications.> These means, if well used,
constitute a providential instrument of evangelization, capable of
reaching not only great masses of faithful but also of leaving a mark on
their minds and behavior.

In this regard it would be opportune that the Bishop or the Episcopal
Conference itself prepare programs and technical instruments appropriate
for this goal.

Pastoral Formation

78. For an adequate pastoral formation, it is necessary to organize
encounters in which the principle objective is the reflection upon the
pastoral plan of the Diocese. In these, the consideration of all
questions pertinent to the priest's pastoral life and practice
(fundamental morals, and professional and social ethics among others)
should not be disregarded. Special care must be devoted to understanding
the life and spirituality of the permanent deacons—where they exist,
as well as of the religious and of the lay faithful. Other themes which
could be helpful are those dealing with catechesis, the family,
vocations to priesthood and religious life, youth, the elderly, the
sick, ecumenism and the "the fallen away". For pastoral work
in present circumstances, it is very important that special sessions be
devoted to exploring and assimilating the <Catechism of the Catholic
Church.> Especially for priests, this constitutes a precious
instrument of formation for preaching as well as for works of
evangelization in general.

It must be Systematic

79. For pastoral formation to be complete, it must be organized
"not as something haphazard, but as a systematic offering of
subjects, which unfolds by stages and take on precise forms".[235]
This requires a certain organizing structure which will establish
opportune instruments, times and contents for its particular and
adequate realization. Such organization must be accompanied by the habit
of personal study, since periodic courses would be of little use if not
accompanied by serious study.[236]

It must be Personalized

80. Although it may be for all, ongoing formation has, as its direct
objective, service to those who receive it. Thus, together with the
collective or common means of formation, there must also be other means
which truly personalize the formation of each one. For this reason,
there should be an awareness, especially on the part of those
responsible, that all priests must be reached personally, taking care of
each one, and not simply having all the diverse opportunities available
to them. In his turn, each priest must feel encouraged to assume
responsibility for his own formation, with the word and example of his
Bishop and of his brothers in the priesthood, himself being the first
agent of his own formation.[237]

Organization

Priestly Encounters

81. The itinerary of priestly encounters must have a unitary
character and progress by stages. Such unity must converge in the
conformation with Christ in a way that the truth of faith, spiritual
life and ministerial activity may work towards a gradual maturity of the
entire priesthood. The unified formative path is divided into
well-defined stages. This requires a specific attention to the different
phases of the life of the priest, without ignoring any stage, and taking
care to unite common formative means with those that are personal. The
encounters of priests should be considered necessary in order to grow in
communion, for a growing consciousness and adequate scrutiny of the
problems corresponding to each stage of life. Regarding the content of
such meetings, we can refer here to the themes proposed by the national
or regional Episcopal Conferences. In every case, themes must be
established in a precise plan of formation by the Diocese, and
frequently updated, possibly even every year.[238]

Their organization and development may be prudently entrusted by the
Bishop to the faculty or institute of theological and pastoral studies,
to the seminary, to organizations or federations involved in the
formation of priests,[239] or to other specialized centers or institutes
which may be diocesan, regional or national, provided that their
doctrinal orthodoxy, fidelity to the Magisterium and ecclesiastical
discipline are assured, as well as their scientific competence and their
adequate knowledge of real pastoral situations.

Pastoral Year

82. It will be the task of the Bishop to see to it, through
prudently-chosen help, that in the year following the priestly or
deaconal Ordination a so-called pastoral year be established, which will
ease the passage from the seminary life to the exercise of the sacred
ministry, proceeding gradually and facilitating a progressive and
harmonious human and specifically priestly maturation.[240] In the
course of this year, it will be necessary to ensure that the newly
ordained priests not be immersed in excessively burdensome and delicate
situations such as far off destinations away from their brothers.
Instead, it would be good that some opportune form of common life be
facilitated.

This period of formation may be held in a suitable residence
established for this purpose (House of Clerics) or in a place which may
constitute a precise and serene point for all priests during their early
pastoral experiences. This will facilitate conversation and meeting with
the Bishop and with one's brothers, common prayers (Liturgy of the
Hours, Eucharistic adoration, Holy Rosary, etc.), exchange of
experiences, mutual encouragement, and the start of good relations of
friendship.

It would be convenient for the Bishop to introduce new priests in the
beginning of their ministry to priests of exemplary life and pastoral
zeal. Notwithstanding the often critical pastoral needs, the first
assignment must respond, above all, to the need of setting the young
priests on the right road. The sacrifice of a year may then bear fruit
for a long time in the future.

It is not superfluous to underline the fact that this year, both
delicate and valuable must favour the full growth of a rapport between
the priest and his Bishop which, initiated in the seminary, ought to
become a true father and son relationship. In what refers to the
intellectual aspect, this year must not be filled with learning new
material but rather involve a deep assimilation of all that was studied
in the institutional courses so as to favour the formation of a
mentality capable of appreciating the details in the light of God's
design.[241]

In this context, there may be properly organized lessons and seminars
on the practice of confession, liturgy, catechetics and preaching, canon
law, spirituality of priests, lay people and religious, social doctrine,
communication and its means, a knowledge of sects and new religious
trends. In practice, the work of synthesis must constitute the path on
which the pastoral year is directed. Every element must correspond to
the fundamental aim of maturing in the spiritual life. The success of
the pastoral year is in any case always conditioned by the daily
personal effort of the one concerned to seek sanctity and to use the
means of sanctification which have helped him since his seminary days.

Means

"Sabbatical" Periods

83. Among other factors that may cause discouragement in the souls of
pastors are the danger of routine, physical exhaustion due to overwork,
psychological fatigue caused by having to struggle against
misunderstanding, prejudice, going against organized forces that tend to
give the impression that the priests of today belong to a culturally
obsolete minority .

Notwithstanding pastoral urgency, and precisely to face up to these
problems adequately, priests must be provided with time, as much as
reasonably possible, so as to facilitate longer periods spent with the
Lord Jesus, thus recovering strength and courage to continue the road to
holiness.

To respond to this particular demand, in many Dioceses various
initiatives have already been tested—often with promising results.
These results are valid and may be taken into consideration, despite the
difficulties that may be encountered in some areas where the scarcity of
priests is more acutely felt.

For this purpose, monasteries, sanctuaries or other places of
spirituality, which are far from the main urban centers, may lend a
helping hand in sparing the priest from direct pastoral
responsibilities. In some cases, it may be useful to employ this time
for study or updating oneself in the sacred sciences, yet the primary
goal of strengthening spiritual and apostolic life must not be
forgotten. In any case, the danger of considering the sabbatical period
as vacation time or claiming it as a right should be avoided.

House for Clerics

84. A "House for Clerics" is to be desired when possible,
for holding the above-mentioned formative encounters and also as a
reference place for other various circumstances. Such a house should
offer all the organizational structure which will make it comfortable
and attractive. Where they do not yet exist but necessity suggests it,
it is advisable to create either on a national or regional level,
structures suitable for the physical, psychological, and spiritual
recovery of priests in special need.

Retreats and Recollections

85. As the long spiritual experience of the Church shows, retreats
and recollections are suitable and effective instruments for an adequate
permanent formation of priests. These still maintain their necessity and
relevance. Against a practice that tends to empty man of everything that
is interior, the priest must find God inside himself, taking advantage
of spiritual pauses in order to immerse himself in meditation and in
prayer. For this reason, canonical legislation has established that
clerics: "are obliged to make spiritual retreats, in accordance
with the provisions of particular law".[242] The two most usual
modes which may be prescribed by the Bishop in his own Diocese are the
day of recollection (possibly monthly) and the annual Retreat.

It is fitting that the Bishop plan and organize the retreats and
recollections in such a way that each priest has the possibility of
choosing those retreats, usually done within or outside of his Diocese,
given by exemplary priests or by a religious institution especially
experienced for their charisma in spiritual formation, or within
monasteries.

Organizing a special retreat for priests ordained in recent years is
also advisable, in which the Bishop himself may actively
participate.[243] During such encounters, it is important to focus on
spiritual themes, offer long periods of silence and prayer, and to take
special care in the celebration of the liturgy, the Sacrament of
Penance, Eucharistic adoration, spiritual direction and acts of
veneration and cult to the Blessed Virgin Mary. To give greater
importance to the efficacy of these means of formation, the Bishop may
duly name a priest to take charge of organizing the times and the way of
conducting them.

In each case, it is necessary that days of recollection and
especially annual spiritual retreats be seen as times of prayer and not
as courses of theological-pastoral updating.

The Need for Programming

86. Recognizing the difficulties that permanent formation usually
encounters, above all due to the multiple and burdensome tasks that
priests have, it must be said that all these difficulties are
surmountable if they are carried out responsibly.

To be in keeping with the level of circumstances and confront the
demands of the urgent work of evangelization, a courageous action of
pastoral government must be undertaken which is designed to take care of
priests in a very particular way. It is necessary that the Bishops
demand, with the force of charity, that their priests be generous in
following the legitimate dispositions made in this matter. The existence
of a "plan of permanent formation" requires that this be not
only thought of or planned but also carried out. In this regard a clear
work structure is called for: with <objectives, specific topics and
instruments> to carry them out.

Those Responsible

The Priest

87. It is the priest himself who is the person primarily responsible
for ongoing formation. In reality, this duty of being faithful to the
gift of God and to the dynamism of daily conversion falls upon each
priest.[244] Such a duty is derived from the fact that no one can take
the place of the priest in watching over himself (cf 1 Tim 4:16). In
fact, by participating in the unique priesthood of Christ, he is called
by his unrepeatable vocation to reveal and exercise the extraordinary
richness of Grace which he has received.

On the other hand, the conditions and situations of life of every
single priest are such that, even from the merely human point of view,
he must involve himself in his own formation, in a manner which takes
advantage of his own capacities and possibilities.

He, therefore, should participate actively in the formative
encounters, making his own contribution based on his capacities and
specific talents and will strive to furnish himself with books and
magazines with sound doctrine and of proven utility, for his spiritual
life and the fruitful development of his ministry.

Among his reading material, the primary place must be given to Sacred
Scripture; and then the writings of the Fathers, classical and modern
spiritual Masters, and the Documents of the Magisterium, which
constitute the authoritative and updated source of permanent formation.
Priests should study them and deepen their understanding of them
(directly and personally) in order to adequately present them to the lay
faithful.

Brotherly Assistance

88. In all the aspects of priestly existence there appear particular
bonds of apostolic charity, of ministry and of fraternity,[245] which
serve as the foundation of the reciprocal help that priests give each
other.[246] It is to be hoped that cooperation among all priests should
grow and develop as regards their spiritual and human life, as well as
their ministerial service. The help which must be given to priests in
this field can find support in the different priestly associations which
tend to form a truly diocesan spirituality. This regards those
associations whose "statutes are recognised by the competent
authority and which, by a suitable and well tried rule of life and by
fraternal support, promote holiness in the exercise of their ministry
and foster the unity of the clergy with one another and with their
Bishop".[247]

In this perspective, the right of every diocesan priest to plan his
own spiritual life must be respected with great care, obviously in
keeping with the characteristics of his own vocation and the obligations
that derive from it. The work that these associations and other approved
movements carry out for priests, is held in high esteem by the
Church[248] who recognizes this as a sign of the of vitality with which
the Holy Spirit continually renews her.

The Bishop

89. However ample and arduous the work with that portion of the
People of God entrusted to him may be, the Bishop must observe a very
special diligence in all that refers to the permanent formation of his
priests.[249] In fact, a special relationship exists between them and
the Bishop, due to "the fact that priests receive their priesthood
from him and share his pastoral solicitude for the People of
God".[250] Thus it also constitutes a specific responsibility of
the Bishop in the area of priestly formation.

Such responsibility is expressed both in that which concerns the
individual priest, for whom the formation must be as personalized as
possible, and in that which concerns the formation of all the priests
who make up the diocesan presbyterium. In this sense, the Bishop will
never fail to foster communication and communion among priests, taking
particular care, to guard and promote the true nature of their ongoing
formation, to educate their consciences regarding its necessity and
importance, and finally, to plan the necessary structure and appropriate
persons to carry it out.[251]

In providing for the formation of his priests, the Bishop must be
involved in his own personal and permanent formation. Experience teaches
that the more the Bishop is bent on his own formation and convinced of
its primary importance, the more he will know how to encourage and
sustain that of his clergy.

In this delicate work the Bishop, while performing an irreplaceable
and undelegatable role, will know how to seek the collaboration of the
council of priests, for it is an organism which, by its nature and
purpose, is a suitable aid, especially in certain tasks such as that of
drawing up the plan of formation. Every Bishop, then, will feel himself
supported and helped in his task by his brothers in the Episcopate,
united in the Conference.[252]

Formation of Directors

90. No formation is possible without both the person who must be
formed and the subject who forms: the director. The quality and the
effectiveness of a plan of formation will depend partially on the
organization, and principally on the directors. It is obvious that the
responsibility of the Bishop is even more significant with regards to
their formation. It is necessary, therefore, that the Bishop himself
name a "group of directors" and that these persons be selected
among those priests who are highly qualified and esteemed due to their
background and their human, spiritual, cultural and pastoral maturity.

In fact, the directors must be, above all, men of prayer: teachers
with a strong supernatural outlook, a profound spiritual life, of
exemplary conduct, with adequate experience in the priestly ministry,
capable of consolidating the priest's spiritual demands with those
properly human and like the Fathers of the Church and great saints of
all times. They may also be chosen from among the members of the
seminary, centers or academic institutions approved by the
ecclesiastical authority, including those institutions whose charism
concerns the life and spirituality of priests. In any case, doctrinal
orthodoxy and faithfulness to the ecclesiastical disciplines must be
guaranteed. Moreover, the directors must be trustworthy collaborators of
the Bishop who stands ultimately responsible for the formation of his
most valuable collaborators.

It is also important to create a <committee for planning> and
implementing, whose task it is to help the Bishop to set the topics to
be considered each year in any of the areas of ongoing formation; to
prepare the necessary aids; design the courses, sessions, meetings, and
retreats; and organize the calendar properly so as to foresee the
absences and replacements for priests. The expert advice of some
specialists in specific fields may also be sought.

Whereas one group of directors is sufficient, various committees for
planning and implementing the work can be established when needed.

Collaboration between Churches

91. With regard to joint activities, by common agreement between
various particular churches, whether on a national or regional level
(through the respective Episcopal conferences), or principally between
neighbouring or adjacent Dioceses, the organization of different means
of permanent formation and their specific contents can be set. Thus, for
example, the inter-diocesan structures such as schools and institutes of
theology and pastoral care, entities or associations committed to the
formation of priests can be utilized when suitable. Such combination of
resources, aside from promoting an authentic communion between
particular churches, may offer to all the most qualified and stimulating
possibilities for ongoing formation.[253]

Collaboration with Academic and Spirituality Centers

92. Furthermore, institutes of study and research centers of
spirituality, like monasteries of exemplary observance, and shrines,
constitute many reference points for theological and pastoral updating,
oases of silence, prayer, sacramental confession and spiritual
direction, healthy rest including physical relaxation, and moments of
priestly fraternity. In this way also, the religious families may
collaborate in the permanent formation of priests as well as
contributing to the renewal of the clergy required by the new
evangelization of the Third Millennium.

Specific Needs Of Certain Age Groups And Special Situations

First Years of Priesthood

93. <During the first years after Ordination,> priests must be
eager to find those conditions of life and ministry which permit them to
put into practice those ideals learned during their formation period in
the seminary.[254] These first years of priesthood, which make up a
necessary confirmation of the initial formation following the first
difficult contact with reality, are the most decisive for the future.
These years, therefore, require a harmonious maturity in order to face
difficult moments with faith and courage. For this reason, the young
priests must benefit from a personal relationship with their own Bishop
and with a wise spiritual father and from times of rest, of meditation
and monthly recollection.

Keeping in mind what has already been said concerning the pastoral
year, it is necessary to organize, in the first years of priesthood,
annual meetings in which appropriate themes in theology, law,
spirituality and culture are studied and dealt with in greater depth, as
well as those special sessions dedicated to problems in morality,
pastoral care and liturgy. Such meetings may also serve as occasions to
renew the faculty of confession in the way it is established by the Code
of Canon Law and by the Bishop.[255] It should be beneficial also that
during these days, fraternity between the young priests and also with
the more experienced ones be encouraged, allowing the exchange of
experiences, greater friendship and the refined evangelical practice of
fraternal correction.

Finally, it is essential for the young clergy to grow in a spiritual
environment of genuine and refined fraternity, manifested in concern for
one another, including their physical health and other material aspects
of life.

After a Certain Number of Years

94. After a certain number of years of ministry, priests acquire a
solid experience and the great merit of having spent all their efforts
in extending the Kingdom of God through daily work. This group of
priests constitutes a great spiritual and pastoral resource.

They need encouragement, genuine appreciation, a new deepening in all
aspects of formation with the purpose of examining their actions, and a
re-awakening of the motivation underlying the sacred ministry. They also
need to reflect on: pastoral methods in the light of essentials, the
communion among priests of the presbyterate, friendship with the Bishop,
surmounting any sense of exhaustion, frustration and solitude and,
finally, rediscovering the font of priestly spirituality.[256]

It is therefore important that these priests benefit from special and
thorough sessions of formation in which, apart from pastoral and
theological subjects, all other psychological and emotional difficulties
that may arise in that period are examined. It is advisable that in such
meetings, not only the Bishop take part, but also those experts who can
give a sound and valid contribution to the solutions of the problems
mentioned above.

Advanced Age

95. The elderly priests or those advanced in years who merit special
consideration, enter in the vital circle of ongoing formation, not so
much regarding, thorough study and discussion of cultural subjects, but
rather "the calm and reassuring confirmation of the part which they
are still called to play in the presbyterate".[257]

Besides the formation organized for the middle-aged priests, they can
benefit appropriately from special periods and workshops to go deeper
into the contemplative sense of the priest's life, in order to
rediscover and love the doctrinal wealth of what they have already
studied and to feel useful, as indeed they are. They can be involved in
suitable ways in true and proper ministry especially as expert
confessors and spiritual directors. In particular, they can share with
others their own experiences, and encourage, welcome, listen and convey
serenity to them. They can also be available whenever they are asked to
"become effective teachers and mentors of other priests".[258]

Priests in Special Situations

96. Independently of age, priests may find themselves in "a
condition of physical weakness or moral fatigue".[259] They
contribute in an eminent way to the work of redemption offering their
sufferings and giving "testimony by virtue of their union with the
suffering Christ and with so many other brothers and sisters in the
Church who are sharing in the Lord's Passion".[260]

For priests in these conditions ongoing formation must offer stimuli
to "continue their service to the Church in a serene and vigorous
way",[261] to be eloquent signs of the primacy of <being>
over <acting> of <content> over <technique,> and of
<grace> over <exterior efficacy.> In this way they can live
the experience of St. Paul: "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you
and fill up those things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ,
in my flesh, for his body, which is the Church" (Col 1:24). The
Bishop and his brothers must never fail to make periodic visits to those
brothers who are ill, who can be informed about events in the Diocese,
in a way that makes them feel like active members of the clergy and of
the Universal Church, which builds upon their sufferings. Those priests,
close to concluding their days on earth spent in the service of God and
for the salvation of their brothers, must be given particular and
affectionate care. The continual consolation of the faith and the prompt
administration of the sacraments is followed by suffrages of the entire
clergy.

Solitude of the Priests 97. The priest can experience a sense of
solitude at any age and situation.[262] Far from understanding this as a
of psychological isolation, it could be altogether normal and a
consequence of the sincere efforts to follow the gospel, and as such
constitutes a valuable dimension of his own life. In some cases,
however, it may be due to special difficulties such as alienation,
misunderstandings, deviations, abandonment, imprudence, personal
limitations of character as well as that of others, calumnies,
humiliations, etc. He should not draw a bitter sense of frustration from
it, which would be deleterious.

Nevertheless, even these moments of difficulties may become, with the
help of the Lord, privileged occasions in which to grow on the road to
sanctity and apostolate. In these occasions, in fact, the priest may
discover that "there is a solitude filled with the presence of the
Lord".[263] Obviously, this must not make the Bishop and the entire
clergy forget the grave responsibility in avoiding every loneliness that
stems out of negligence in the communion among priests.

Neither must he forget those brothers who have left the ministry,
offering them necessary help, above all through prayer and penance.
Proper charitable behaviour with them must not, however, lead them to
consider entrusting them with ecclesiastical functions, which can create
confusion and disconcertment, above all, on the part of the faithful, in
view of their situation.

Conclusion

The Master of the harvest, who calls and sends workers to work in his
field (cf Mt 9:38) has promised with eternal faithfulness: "I will
give you shepherds after my own heart" (Jer 3:15). On this divine
faith fullness that is always alive and operative in the Church,[264]
rests the hope of receiving abundant and holy vocations to the
priesthood. Moreover, it has already been proven in many countries that
the Lord will not deny his Church the necessary light to confront the
fascinating adventure of casting the nets into the sea.

The Church responds to the gift of God with acts of thanksgiving,
fidelity, docility to the Spirit and a humble and persevering prayer. In
order to perform his apostolic mission, each priest will bear, engraved
on his own heart, the words of the Lord: "Father, I have glorified
you on earth, having accomplished the work which you have given me to
do, to give eternal life to men" (Jn 17:2-4). For this, the priest
will dedicate his own life to his brothers, living as a sign of
supernatural charity, in obedience, in celibate chastity, with
simplicity and with respect for discipline in the communion of the
Church.

In his work of evangelization the priest transcends the natural order
to direct himself "in things that belong to God" (Heb 5:1).
He, in fact, is called to raise man, generating in him divine life and
making him grow towards fullness in Christ. For this reason, an
authentic priest impelled by his fidelity to Christ and to the Church
constitutes, in reality, an incomparable force of true progress for the
entire world. "The new evangelization needs new preachers and these
are the priests who strive to live their priesthood as a specific way to
sanctity".[265] God's works are performed by men of God!

Like Christ, the priest must present himself to the world as a model
of supernatural life: "For I have given you an example, that as I
have done to you, so you do also" (Jn 13:15). The testimony
reflected by his life gives the priest his qualification and constitutes
his most convincing sermon. The same ecclesiastical discipline lived
with real interior motivation turns out to be a providential aid in
which to live his own identity, foster charity and allow his testimony
to shine forth. Without this, all cultural preparation or rigorous
organization would merely be an illusion. "Doing" without
"being with Christ" is meaningless.

Here lies the horizon of the identity, life, ministry and permanent
formation of the priest; a task of immense work: open, courageous,
enlightened by faith, sustained in hope and rooted in charity. In this
urgent and necessary work, nobody is alone. It is necessary that priests
be assisted by an exemplary, authoritative and vigorous action of
pastoral government by their own Bishops, in communion with the
Apostolic See as well as the fraternal collaboration of all the clergy
and the entire People of God.

To Mary, Mother most faithful, each priest may entrust himself. In
her who "was the model of that maternal love which must inspire all
who cooperate in the regeneration of men in the apostolic mission of the
Church",[266] priests will find constant protection and help for
the renewal of their lives and help to draw out from their priesthood a
renewed and more intense zeal for the extension of the Gospel on the
threshold of the third millennium of Redemption.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II, on 31 January 1994, approved this
Directory and authorized its publication.

Jose T. Card. Sanchez, Prefect

Crescenzio Sepe, Titular Archbishop of Grado, Secretary

Prayer To The Most Blessed Virgin Mary

O Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and Mother of priests, accept this
title which we bestow on you to celebrate your motherhood and to
contemplate with you the Priesthood of your Son and of your sons, O Holy
Mother of God.

Mother of Christ, to the Messiah-Priest you gave a body of flesh
through the anointing of the Holy Spirit for the salvation of the poor
and the contrite of heart, guard priests in your heart and in the
Church, O Mother of the Savior.

O Mother of Faith, you accompanied the Son of Man at the temple, in fulfillment
of the promises made to the Fathers, give to the Father for
his glory, the priests of his Son, O Ark of the Covenant.

O Mother of the Church, among the disciples in the Cenacle you prayed
to the Spirit for the new People and their Shepherds, obtain for the
Order of Presbyters the full measure of gifts, O Queen of the Apostles.

O Mother of Jesus Christ, you were with him from the beginning of his
life and in his mission, you sought the Master among the crowd, you
stood beside him when He was lifted up from the earth, consumed as the
one eternal sacrifice, and you had John, your son, close by, accept from
the beginning those who have been called protect their growth, in their
life ministry accompany your sons, O Mother of Priests.

Amen![267]

Endnotes

1. Among the most recent documents, cf. Ecumenical Council Vatican
II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church <Lumen gentium,> 28;
Decree on Priestly Formation <Optatam Totius,> 22; Decree on the
pastorale office of the Bishops <Christus Dominus,> 16; Decree on
the Ministry and life of Priests <Presbyterorum Ordinis;> Paul VI,
Encyclical Letter <Sacerdotalis caelibatus> (24 June 1967): AAS 59
(1967), 657-697; S. Congregation for the Clergy, Circular letter
<Inter ea> (4 November 1969): AAS 62 (1970), 123-134; Synod of
Bishops, Document on the Ministerial Priesthood <Ultimis temporibus>
(30 November 1971): AAS 63 (1971), 898-922; <Codex Iuris Canonici,>
can. 273-289; 232-264; 1008-1054; Congregation for Catholic Education,
<Ratio Fundamentalis Institutiones Sacerdotalis> (19 March 1985),
101; JOHN Paul II, <Letters> to all the Priests of the Church on
Holy Thursday; <Catechesi> on Priests, in the General Audiences
from 31 March to 22 September 1993.

45. Cf. Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, <Pastoral
Guide for Diocesan Priests that Depend on the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples> (1 October 1989), 3.

46. S. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the
Bishops of the Catholic Church on Certain Questions Concerning the
Minister of the Eucharist <Sacerdotium ministeriale> (6 August
1983), II. 3, III. 2: AAS 75 (1983), 1001-1009; <Catechism of the
Catholic Church,> n. 875.

49. Cf. John Paul II, <Address> to the participants of the
International Symposium on "The Priest Today":
"L'Osservatore Romano", 29 May, 1993; <Address> to the
participants of the International symposium "Kus in vita et in
missione Ecclesiae" (23 April, 1993), in "L'Osservatore
Romano", 25 April, 1993.

63. Saint Ignatius of Antioch, <Ad Ephesios,> XX, 1-2:
"....If the Lord will reveal to me that, each one on his own and
everyone together...you are united in heart through an unshakeable
submission to the Bishop and the presbyterate, breaking the only bread
which is remedy of immorality, an antidote to prevent death, and to live
forever in Jesus Christ": <Patres Apostolici,> ed. F.X. Funk,
II, 203-205.

98. Cf. Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples, <Pastoral
Guide for Diocesan Priests that Depend on the Congregation for the
Evangelization of Peoples> (1 October 1989), 9;Sacred Congregation
For The Clergy, Decree <Quidam Episcopi> (8 March 1982), AAS 74
(1982), 642- 645.

175. St John Chrysostom, <De sacerdotio,> III, 6: PG, 48,
643-644: "The spiritual birth of the souls is entrusted to priests:
they bring souls to the life of grace through baptism; through them we
put on Christ, we are buried with the Son of God and we become members
of his Body (cf. Rom. 6, 1; Gal. 3, 27). Therefore we should not only
respect the priest more than princes and kings, but esteem him more than
we do our parents. Indeed, our parents have begotten us through blood
and by the will of the flesh (cf. Jn. 1, 13); while the priests have
brought us to life as sons of God; they are the instruments of our
joyful rebirth, of our freedom and of our adoption in the order of
grace."

190. St. John Chrysostom, <De Sacerdotio,> VI, 2: PG 48, 679:
The soul of the priest must be purer than the rays of the sun so that
the Holy Spirit not abandon him and so that he might say: <It is no
longer I that lives but Christ that lives in me (Gal. 2, 20). If the
anachorites of the desert who lived far from the city and its activity,
enjoying harbour and the tranquility there, they nevertheless did not
rely solely on the security of that life of theirs, but rather took
special care of strengthening themselves in purity and confidence and
diligently insuring to the best of their ability that their conduct be
worthy of God's presence. To what extent, do you think, must a priest
employ strength and violence to avoid any kind of stain against his
spiritual beauty? Certainly he needs to have more purity than monks. Yet
precisely he who needs it the most is the one who most often is exposed
to inevitable occasions in which he can be contaminated, unless he
renders this inaccessible with assiduous sobriety and vigilance.